Indian Youth Harsimrat Randhawa Dies in Hamilton Shooting While Uninvolved in the Conflict.

In a deeply saddening turn of events, a young Indian international student lost her life in Canada under tragic circumstances. A young student from India was fatally shot in the Ontario city of Hamilton after being hit by a stray bullet during a suspected gang-related shooting nearby. The Hamilton Police identified the victim as a 21-year-old student enrolled at Mohawk College. She was reportedly waiting at a bus stop on her way to work when a stray bullet struck her.

Police stated, “Investigators believe the female was an innocent bystander struck by a stray bullet during a shooting in the area.” The incident took place around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, as authorities responded to a homicide case involving a bystander.

She suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was rushed to the hospital, where she later died from her injuries. Based on video evidence gathered, investigators revealed that a passenger in a black Mercedes SUV opened fire on the occupants of a white sedan. Following the gunfire, the white sedan quickly fled the scene. Bullets also pierced the rear window of a nearby home, where residents were sitting just a few feet away, watching television. “Fortunately, no one was injured in the home,” Hamilton Police stated in a release.

India’s Consulate in Toronto said they were “deeply saddened by the tragic death” of the young student from India. “A homicide investigation is currently underway. We are in close contact with her family and are extending all necessary assistance. Our thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family during this difficult time,” it said in a post on X on Friday. “I would like to extend my condolences to Harsimrat’s family. This is a young girl who had her whole life ahead of her and tragically lost her life because some thugs picked up a gun,” Hamilton Police Chief Frank Bergen said during the course of a press conference on Friday, according to the outlet CTV News.

“Remember, Harsimrat’s family sent her to Hamilton to prepare her for her future, and there is now an empty seat at their dinner table and an empty seat at her aunt’s house and her friend’s home,” he added. 

“As a member of the Mohawk College community, we know this loss is being felt by many and we will do everything we can to support Harsimrat’s friends, family and the broader college community,” a spokesperson for the institution said in a statement.