A 20-year-old Indian student, Shivank Awasthi, was tragically shot and killed near the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus on December 23. The police confirmed the incident on Friday, revealing that Awasthi, a third-year Life Sciences student, was found with gunshot wounds around 3:30 PM in the vicinity of Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road. He had been shot while on his way home, and locals alerted authorities upon discovering his body.
The Toronto Police have classified the incident as a homicide and are intensifying their search for the suspects. Despite their efforts, no arrests have been made so far. The police revealed that the assailants fled the scene before they arrived. In response to the shooting, the university campus was briefly locked down while law enforcement conducted their investigation. This marks the 41st homicide in Toronto in 2023, with authorities working to apprehend those responsible for the attack.
Shivank Awasthi was also a member of the university’s cheerleading team, and his untimely death has left both students and faculty deeply shocked. Fellow students have voiced concerns about the lack of proper security and lighting along the trails near the campus, citing these as contributing factors to the tragedy. The incident has raised questions about safety on and around university campuses, as well as the need for better security measures to protect students.
The Consulate General of India in Toronto expressed its deep sorrow over the incident and assured full support to the grieving family. In a statement on social media, the consulate expressed its commitment to assist the family in every way possible and confirmed that it was working closely with local authorities to monitor the investigation. This incident follows a recent wave of attacks on Indian students in Canada, including the suspicious death of Indian-origin woman Himanshi Khurana in Toronto earlier this week, further raising concerns about the safety of international students in the country.