A 20-year-old Indian doctoral student was shot dead near the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) campus, with Toronto Police treating the incident as a homicide.
The shooting took place on December 23 in the area of Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road. Police identified the victim a day later as Shivank Avasthi, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC).
Toronto Police said they received a call around 3.30 pm on December 23 reporting an injured person lying on the ground. “When officers arrived, they found a person suffering from a gunshot wound. The individual was pronounced dead at the scene,” Duty Inspector Jeff Allington told reporters on Tuesday night.
Authorities confirmed that the case is being investigated as a homicide. Allington said police are currently focused on securing evidence, establishing the circumstances leading to the shooting and notifying the victim’s family, adding that details remain limited at this stage.
Police said the suspect fled before officers reached the spot. No description of the suspect has been released so far.
The Consulate General of India in Toronto expressed “deep anguish” over the student’s death. In a post on social media platform X, the Consulate said it is in touch with Avasthi’s family and is providing all possible assistance in coordination with local authorities.
A spokesperson for UTSC said the university was “extremely saddened” by the death near its campus but did not confirm whether the victim was a student at the institution. “We cannot comment on the identity of the victim at this time,” the spokesperson said, while thanking campus safety officials, Toronto Police and emergency medical services for their response.
Following the incident, UTSC issued a safety alert advising those inside campus buildings to remain indoors and urging people outdoors to leave the area. The university said the police investigation remains ongoing in the Highland Creek Valley, and access to pathways in the area has been closed until further notice.