Canada News : Indian PhD Student Shot Dead Near University of Toronto, Police Probe Homicide

A 20-year-old Indian doctoral student was shot dead near the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus (UTSC), with Canadian authorities investigating the incident as a homicide, officials said.

The shooting occurred on Tuesday afternoon, and Toronto Police on Wednesday identified the victim as Shivank Avasthi, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.

Police were called to the area near Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road at around 3.30 pm after receiving reports of an injured person lying on the ground, Duty Inspector Jeff Allington told reporters at the scene later that evening.

“When officers arrived, they located an individual suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced dead at the scene,” Allington said, adding that investigators were treating the case as a homicide.

He said police were focused on preserving evidence, reconstructing the events leading to the shooting and notifying the victim’s next of kin. “Because of that, there is very little information that I am able to share at this time,” he said.

Toronto Police said the suspect fled the area before officers arrived. No description of the suspect has been released so far.

India’s Consulate in Toronto expressed “deep anguish” over the student’s death and said it was extending all possible assistance to the family.

“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 is in touch with the bereaved family during this difficult time and is extending all necessary assistance in close coordination with the local authorities,” the Consulate said in a post on X.

A spokesperson for UTSC said the university was “extremely saddened” by the death near the campus, but declined to confirm whether the victim was enrolled at the institution. “We cannot comment on the identity of the victim at this time,” the spokesperson said, while thanking campus safety teams, police and emergency services for their swift response.

Following the incident, the university issued a safety alert advising those inside campus buildings to remain indoors and asking people outdoors to leave the area. In a subsequent update, the university said the police investigation was ongoing in the Highland Creek Valley area of the campus and that pathways into the valley would remain closed until further notice.

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