TORONTO, Dec 26: A 20-year-old Indian doctoral student was fatally shot near the University of Toronto Scarborough campus on Tuesday, with Canadian authorities treating the case as a homicide.
Toronto police identified the victim as Shivank Avasthi on Wednesday, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
Officers responded to a call about an injured person at Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road around 3:30 pm on Tuesday. Upon arrival, they discovered a victim with a gunshot wound who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Duty Inspector Jeff Allington addressed reporters near the scene Tuesday night, stating, “Our immediate focus is on preserving evidence at the scene, determining what happened and notifying this individual’s next of kin. Because of that, there is very little information that I am able to share with you tonight.”
The suspect fled before police arrived, and authorities have not yet released a description.
India’s Consulate in Toronto expressed profound grief over the incident. “We express deep anguish over the tragic death of a young Indian doctoral student, Shivank Avasthi, in a fatal shooting incident near the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus,” the Consulate said in a post on X.
The Consulate confirmed it is in contact with the bereaved family and providing all necessary assistance in coordination with local authorities during this difficult time.
