Tension at public meeting after White Rock promenade stabbings
Police field numerous questions around alerts, patrols after 2 South Asian men were stabbed, 1 fatally
RCMP in White Rock, B.C., were peppered with questions from concerned residents at a packed community centre on Tuesday night, after two stabbings in as many days on the city's promenade.
Both attacks were on young South Asian men. Kulwinder Singh Sohi was fatally stabbed last Tuesday, while Jatinder Singh was left with non-life-threatening injuries after a stabbing two days earlier.
Residents at the meeting questioned why police did not issue an emergency alert after the first stabbing, and questioned their safety in the seaside city of around 20,000 people, located around 35 kilometres south of downtown Vancouver.
In response, the local RCMP detachment promised they would increase patrols in the area.
Police also said the threshold to issue an emergency alert was not met in this case.
"When we're making these determinations, this isn't just for us," Staff Sgt. Rob Dixon said. "This is provincewide, this is nationwide. ... These decisions were made in consultation with our duty officer, who is actually the one who can issue those public alerts."
Dixon added that the criteria for an emergency alert was out of their control, and the detachment wanted to avoid "alert fatigue" among residents by only issuing alerts when absolutely necessary.
He said RCMP would increase bike patrols along the city's promenade and be more visible in the community.
But that was little reassurance for the dozens of people who gathered in a packed White Rock Community Centre on Tuesday, with many having to stand several rows deep behind the seating area.
Among them was Sohi's brother, Gurleen Sohi, and people holding signs demanding justice for the killed man.
Kulpreet Singh, founder of the South Asian Mental Health Alliance, told the meeting that the community worried about police not taking the stabbings seriously — reminding the community of the historical neglect of the cases of missing and murdered Indigenous women.
"When there's any vulnerable population, we should be a little more sensitive," Singh told the meeting.
Singh told CBC News that the community should channel their anger into more action, such as "political campaigning, letter writing, going to the media and advocating for all people."
He also said anyone struggling with the news of the attacks should contact mental health organizations.
Mayor promises CCTV, increased lighting
Singh added that people in leadership positions should be more sensitive with their words at a time when the local South Asian population is fearful for its safety.
White Rock Mayor Megan Knight drew flak from some at the meeting, after saying she personally felt safe in the community and encouraging people to continue to support local businesses.
In an interview with CBC News, Knight stressed that she did not want to offend those who were fearful.
"I said if you're not comfortable going, that's fine. I'm going," she said. "But it was nothing to do with someone South Asian, compared to [those who are] Caucasian — that was never meant in that light."
Knight said she has talked to the RCMP about how best to protect the community, and said the city had already sent out a request for proposal to increase CCTV coverage of the promenade.
She also promised increased lighting in the area, and said she was discussing setting up a satellite RCMP office on the waterfront.
"Even if it's just a small little storefront, we can have just the presence of the RCMP," she said. "So if somebody's feeling threatened or there's anything, they go knock on the door, there's someone there."
In a Tuesday news release, the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) said a suspect arrested in relation to Sohi's death on April 23 was later charged in connection with the stabbing of Jatinder Singh two days earlier.
IHIT spokesperson Sgt. Timothy Pierotti said the investigation into Sohi's death continues.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
