TORONTO, ON – Homicide detectives have made an arrest in the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old international student on the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus last month, charging a 28-year-old Toronto man with first-degree murder in what investigators describe as a likely random, premeditated attack.
The victim has been identified as Shivank Avasthi, a third-year student from India.
Toronto Police Service disclosed on Wednesday that Babatunde Afuwape, 28, of Toronto, has been charged in connection with the shooting, which occurred on the afternoon of December 23, 2025, on a popular campus trail near Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road.
According to police, officers responded to a call for an “unknown trouble” at approximately 3:34 p.m. that day.
“Officers arrived at the scene and found Avasthi with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene,” police stated. “The shooting marked Toronto’s 41st homicide of 2025.”
At a news conference, Detective Sergeant Stacey McCabe of the Homicide and Missing Persons Unit revealed that the victim and the accused were not known to each other, and the attack appears to have been random.
“He was there to kill somebody, is our belief. I’m not sure how he chose Avasthi,” Det.-Sgt. McCabe said, indicating the investigation is still working to establish a motive.
McCabe added that Afuwape had been on the campus for about an hour before the shooting and is not believed to have been a student at the university. The suspect was arrested on December 28 for a breach of parole related to previous firearm offences before being charged with the murder.
“We recognize that this incident caused a great deal of fear and concern for students, staff, and members of the surrounding community, and we want to reassure them that the person responsible is in our custody,” McCabe stated.
The news has sent waves of grief through the university community. Avasthi was remembered as an active and beloved member of the campus, involved in cheerleading and powerlifting clubs.
“He was young, bright, and had his whole life ahead of him. Our thoughts remain with his family, friends, and classmates,” McCabe said.
In a joint letter to the university community, U of T President Melanie Woodin and UTSC Principal Linda Johnston acknowledged the unsettling news. “We are personally heartbroken and know many of you may be feeling a range of emotions in the wake of this senseless violence,” they wrote, announcing increased campus patrols and the availability of support services.
A close friend of Avasthi, Caitlin Whittier, shared her memories with media. “He was absolutely supportive. He was such a wonderful person… He would walk me back to my car late at night to make sure I got home safe,” she said. “Any problems I had, he would give me the most wonderful advice.”
Babatunde Afuwape was scheduled to appear in court at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. The investigation remains active, and police are urging any witnesses who may have seen the accused on campus on December 23 to come forward.