A 20-year-old Indian student, Shivank Avasthi, was shot dead in broad daylight near the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) campus on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, in what police have classified as a homicide. The killing, which occurred on a commonly used student trail, has raised serious concerns about campus safety and has also sparked discussion within the Indian diaspora about the limited international media attention the case has received.

According to the Toronto Police Service, officers responded at approximately 3:34 p.m. to reports of “unknown trouble” near Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road, just off the UTSC campus. Upon arrival, police found a young man suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect or suspects had fled before officers arrived.

Police immediately launched a homicide investigation, identifying the case as Toronto’s 41st homicide of 2025. Avasthi’s body remained on the trail for several hours as investigators secured the area and collected forensic evidence. Authorities urged anyone with information, including dashcam or CCTV footage, to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

Campus Lockdown and Safety Concerns

In response to the shooting, UTSC issued a shelter-in-place advisory, instructing students and staff to remain indoors and avoid the Highland Creek valley trails. Several access points to the trail network were closed while police conducted their investigation. The advisory was later lifted, and the campus reopened, though officials cautioned students to avoid the valley paths until further notice.

In a statement carried by Canadian media, university officials said they were “extremely saddened” by the death but declined to publicly identify the victim, citing privacy concerns. They thanked campus safety teams, emergency responders, and police for their swift response.

The incident has renewed long-standing safety concerns among students. The Highland Creek trail network has previously been criticized for being poorly lit and inadequately patrolled. Students told Indian media outlets that the fact the shooting occurred during daylight hours has heightened fear, with some now hesitant to attend evening classes or use campus pathways.

On December 24, Toronto Police identified the victim as Shivank Avasthi, aged 20, a Toronto resident and UTSC student. While initial Canadian reports did not emphasize his nationality, Indian media later confirmed that Avasthi was of Indian origin.

Avasthi was a third-year life sciences student and an active member of campus life. He was part of the UTSC cheerleading team, which posted a tribute on social media describing him as a supportive and positive presence who “lit up practice” and “brought smiles to everyone’s faces.”

Consulate Response

On December 25, the Consulate General of India in Toronto issued a statement expressing “deep anguish” over the killing. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), the consulate said it was in close contact with Avasthi’s family and was coordinating with Canadian authorities to provide all possible assistance.

The consulate referred to Avasthi as a doctoral student, though later reports clarified that he was an undergraduate life sciences student. The statement marked the first official response from Indian authorities but did not include further details about the investigation.

Media Coverage and Diaspora Reaction

By December 26, Indian and diaspora media outlets, including NDTV, Indian Express, India Today, Hindustan Times, and Gulf News, published detailed reports on the case. These reports focused on Avasthi’s background, student safety concerns, and the emotional impact on the Indian community in Canada.

In contrast, coverage in much of the Western mainstream media remained limited, largely confined to brief police updates from Canadian outlets such as Global News and CP24. Several commentators and members of the Indian diaspora noted the lack of sustained international attention, particularly when compared to the extensive coverage often given to cases involving foreign nationals in India.

The issue gained further attention as the killing occurred just days after another Toronto homicide involving an Indian national, Himanshi Khurana, heightening anxiety within the Indian community about safety abroad.

As of December 26, Toronto Police had not announced any arrests. No suspect descriptions or motive have been made public. Investigators have described the incident as “isolated” and stated there is no ongoing threat to public safety. The investigation remains active.

An Unanswered Loss

Shivank Avasthi travelled abroad to pursue education and opportunity. His death, sudden and unresolved, has left his family grieving across continents and has shaken a campus community that trusted its surroundings to be safe.

While the investigation continues, questions remain not only about who killed him and why, but also about why the death of a young international student has drawn so little sustained attention beyond his own community. For many, the silence surrounding the case has become almost as painful as the crime itself.