Police in Vancouver say two suspects have been arrested and released pending further investigation into a homicide in the Downtown Eastside last week.
They say officers had responded to reports of a man in medical distress in the Chinatown neighbourhood last Wednesday afternoon.
Police are identifying the victim as 40-year-old William Coffin and say they believe he had been stabbed during an altercation.
The RCMP has been struggling to fill its vacancies for years, with more-recent hiring and training efforts also hampered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The force has said it hopes to boost the amount of diversity in its ranks by hiring more women, visible minorities and Indigenous people.
Despite efforts of emergency responders and the civilians present, Cst. Harvinder Singh Dhami succumbed to his injuries. This tragic incident is still under investigation, more information may be provided when available.
Police learned that an altercation took place between two groups inside the SkyTrain station resulting in the victim being stabbed. Three suspects then fled the SkyTrain station onto Columbia Street. The victim and suspects are not known to each other.
The Port of Vancouver says 331 cruise ships are scheduled over the same period, potentially delivering more than one million visitors into the downtown core, with almost daily arrivals and departures at the height of the season between May and September.
Vancouver police and city staff moved into the Downtown Eastside encampment last Wednesday to dismantle and throw away belongings, tents and other structures that lined the sidewalks on Hastings Street. Mayor Ken Sim, along with the fire and police chiefs, said the fire danger and increased crime meant the encampment had to be dismantled.
The study showed almost 17 tonnes of drug products were trafficked for $234.7 million in eight markets, with the most popular drugs being stimulants, cannabis, opioids and benzodiazepines.