A 28-year-old man is charged with first-degree murder in the fatal shooting of a 20-year-old University of Toronto student on a Scarborough campus trail on Dec. 23.
Man Charged with First-Degree Murder in Student Shooting
A man has been charged with first-degree murder related to the shooting of a student at the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus (UTSC) last month, according to police.
Details of the Incident
Babatunde Afuwape, a 28-year-old man from Toronto, is accused of fatally shooting 20-year-old Shivank Avasthi on a campus trail on December 23. This information was shared by Det.-Sgt. Stacey McCabe during a news conference on Wednesday.
At around 3:30 p.m. that day, officers responded to a call about unknown trouble near Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road. Upon arrival, they found Avasthi with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Investigation Status
The shooting marked Toronto’s 41st homicide of 2025. Police believe Afuwape and Avasthi did not know each other. Investigators are still trying to determine a motive, and the attack may have been random, McCabe stated.
“He was there to kill somebody, is our belief. I’m not sure how he chose Avasthi,” she said.
About the Victim and Next Steps
Avasthi was a third-year student at the University of Toronto and was originally from India. Afuwape was scheduled to appear in court earlier this week. Police encourage anyone with more information to contact them or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Accused | Babatunde Afuwape |
| Age of Accused | 28 |
| Victim | Shivank Avasthi |
| Age of Victim | 20 |
| Date of Incident | December 23, 2025 |
| Location | UTSC, Highland Creek Trail |
| Homicides in Toronto 2025 | 41 |
