Indian mission in Canada assures all help to family of student killed in Brampton

Ottawa: The Indian mission in Toronto on Wednesday expressed shock over the murder of a 26-year-old Indian national who moved to the Canada five months ago and said it was extending all possible help to the bereaved family.

Canada’s Peel Regional police identified the man gunned down in the driveway of a Brampton home last week as Pritpal Singh from India, Toronto Star newspaper reported on Tuesday, adding, a police official also said that investigators believed it was a targeted attack and were probing a possible link to another shooting incident around the same time.

Peel police spokesperson Richard Chin said on Monday that Singh and another man were shot outside a residence on Odeon Street near Concorde Drive just after 11.30 pm on December 4.

“We are shocked by the cold-blooded gunning down of a young Indian national, Mr Pritpal Singh in Brampton. Our deepest condolences to the family & friends of the deceased. All possible help is being extended to the bereaved family at this tragic loss. May the departed soul rest in eternal peace,” India’s Consulate General in Toronto posted on X.

Pritpal had moved to Canada as an international student five months ago and was living with his brother, Khushwantpal Singh. Both of them were preparing to start courses in plumbing at Humber College next month, CBC Toronto reported.

Toronto Star newspaper said the police found Singh with multiple gunshot wounds and performed life-saving measures, but he died at the scene. The second man was rushed to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, it said.

A day after the shooting, Sgt Jennifer Trimble said investigators believed it was a targeted attack and were probing a possible link to a shooting in Caldeon that occurred about 30 minutes later.

No one was injured in the second incident, which happened at a residence on Centreville Creek Road in Brampton.

Chin on Monday said investigators believe the shootings are connected and are working with the Ontario Provincial Police.

“The investigation is still active and we will not be releasing any other details at this time,” he said.

While police have not explicitly stated what was the connection between the two shootings, the report said property records show that the owners of the Brampton home where Singh was killed own another property on Centreville Creek Road in Caledon.

The violent shooting appears to have been captured in a graphic video widely circulated online, the newspaper said.

The footage shows two men clearing snow off a grey vehicle in the driveway moments before another vehicle — a white four-door sedan — pulls up beside them.

Two people exit the vehicle and start firing shots as the two men on the driveway try to flee. One of the two victims can be seen running off, toward the home, while the other falls to the ground.

Meanwhile, CBC Toronto identified the man who survived the shooting as Pritpal Singh’s brother, who said he believes they were the victims of mistaken identity.

Khushwantpal Singh, speaking to CBC Toronto from his hospital bed, said both of them were outside cleaning snow off their car, when they were attacked.

He said he was shot in the arm while his younger brother was shot several times at close range.

Reiterating that he believes he and his brother weren’t the intended target, he said, "We never did anything wrong. I'm innocent and my brother was innocent."