A 21-year-old Indian student, Harsimrat Randhawa, was killed in Hamilton, Ontario, after being struck by a stray bullet while waiting at a bus stop.
She was a student at Mohawk College and on her way to work when the incident happened on Wednesday evening. She was rushed to the hospital but did not survive. Police confirmed she was an innocent bystander. Bullets also hit a nearby home where people were watching TV, but no one was hurt.
Meanwhile, The Consulate General of India in Toronto expressed deep sorrow over her death and is in contact with her family, offering support. Police are investigating the case as a homicide .
Hamilton police are currently investigating the homicide, confirming that Randhawa was not involved in the shooting. The incident occurred around 7:30 pm local time near Upper James Street and South Bend Road.
According to police, a passenger in a black sedan fired at the occupants of a white sedan, causing a series of gunshots that also struck Randhawa. Paramedics rushed her to the hospital, but she later succumbed to her injuries from a gunshot wound to the chest.
The shooting also caused damage to a nearby residence on Allenby Avenue, where residents were watching television. Gunfire shattered a rear window, but no one inside was injured, authorities said.
The Consulate General of India in Toronto expressed deep sorrow over Randhawa’s death in a post on X: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of Indian student Harsimrat Randhawa in Hamilton, Ontario. As per local police, she was an innocent victim, fatally struck by a stray bullet during a shooting incident involving two vehicles. 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.”