Indian student shot dead by Canada-based Nigerian man

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A 28-year-old Canada-based Nigerian, Babatunde Afuwape, who resides in Toronto, has been charged with first-degree murder over the alleged killing of a 20-year-old University of Toronto student, Shivank Avasthi, on the institution’s Scarborough campus.

The Toronto Police Service disclosed on Wednesday that Afuwape allegedly killed Avasthi on a popular campus trail on December 23.

Speaking at a news conference, Detective Sergeant Stacey McCabe said officers were called to the area of Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road at about 3:30 p.m. on December 23 following a report of an unknown disturbance.

A report by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) quoted police as saying, “Officers arrived at the scene and found Avasthi with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The shooting marked Toronto’s 41st homicide of 2025.”

Police said investigators are still working to determine a motive, noting that Afuwape and Avasthi were not known to each other.

According to McCabe, the attack may have been random.

“He was there to kill somebody, is our belief. I’m not sure how he chose Avasthi,” she said. Punch