WHISTLER, B.C. — The brother of a young man fatally stabbed while celebrating May long weekend in Whistler, B.C., is demanding that the mountain resort municipality take action to stem what he sees as a rising problem of unchecked violence.
Luka Gordic, 19, of Burnaby, B.C., died after being stabbed near Main Street early Sunday morning, confirmed his older brother Milos.
RCMP have not released the man's identity but they say he was taken to a nearby clinic with serious injuries, where he later died.
Several suspects were taken into custody in relation to the death, said police.
The Mounties are also investigating a separate stabbing that took place fewer than 24 hours later, shortly before midnight on Sunday. The second incident also involved a 19-year-old victim.
The man was taken to hospital in Vancouver to be treated for multiple stab wounds but he is expected to recover, said police.
"This has been beyond devastating," Milos said on Monday, describing his younger brother as his best friend.
"People are going to think this is a gang-on-gang thing but it's not like that," he said. "He was an innocent little man."
Luka, who turned 19 earlier this month, graduated from Burnaby Central Secondary School a year ago and was studying to become a plumber.
He was the youngest of four kids and lived at home with his parents, two older brothers, one sister and the family dog.
The province's coroners service and the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team are responding to the incident.
"Something's got to be done," said Milos, describing his family as both devastated and furious.
"You've got innocent kids getting stabbed," he said. "It shouldn't happen to anyone."
As for those responsible for the stabbing, Milos said he expects them to be punished by the law.
"They hurt a lot of people, those guys," he said. "I hope they know what they did."
