A 20-year-old Indian student, Shibank Awasthi, was shot dead near the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus on Tuesday afternoon, Toronto Police said. Officers responded at about 3:34 p.m. to the area of Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road, where paramedics pronounced Awasthi dead at the scene. The suspect fled before police arrived.
Police have appealed for witnesses and information as the case marks Toronto’s 41st homicide of the year. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs expressed condolences, and the Indian Consulate in Toronto said it is in contact with Awasthi’s family, assisting with legal formalities and repatriation.
The killing comes a week after the body of Indian national Himanshi Khurana, 30, was found in a Toronto residence on Strachan Avenue. An arrest warrant has been issued for 32-year-old Abdul Gafuri, whom police say knew Khurana. The back-to-back cases have raised concerns among members of Toronto’s Indian student and expatriate communities. Authorities said investigations in both incidents are ongoing in coordination with local and consular officials.