Toronto police say an arrest has been made in the case of a fatal shooting that targeted a 20-year-old University of Toronto student from India just days before Christmas.
Police said a 28-year-old man is facing a first-degree murder charge in what Det. Sgt. Stacey McCabe alleges was a “planned and deliberate act.”
“I think that he was looking to target someone,” McCabe told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday.
“He was there to kill somebody, is our belief. I’m not sure how he chose Shivank or what his ultimate plan was that day.”
On Dec. 23, 2025, at around 3:30 p.m., 20-year-old Shivank Avasthi was at the university campus in Scarborough in the Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road area when he was shot and killed.
McCabe said Avasthi was a third-year university student and was on campus for school-related reasons.
“He was young, bright and had his whole life ahead of him,” McCabe told reporters.
She said the accused — 28-year-old Babatunde Afuwape, who is facing a first-degree murder charge — was on campus for about one hour before the shooting happened.
McCabe also said investigators “found no connection between these two” and called the shooting random.
A gun was recovered, McCabe said. She noted that Afuwape was on parole for firearm offences. He was arrested on Dec. 28 by officers from 55 Division for a parole violation.
McCabe said police are releasing his photo in case anyone else had interactions with him prior to the homicide, as it occurred on a popular trail at the campus.
“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 said.
“We believe that there may have been more people on the trail or on campus on Dec. 23 that may have seen or interacted with the accused.”
