Harsimrat Randhawa, a 21-year-old student from India was shot in Hamilton, Ontario, after being struck by a stray bullet while waiting at a bus stop on her way to work.
Randhawa, a student at Mohawk College, was an innocent bystander when the shooting occurred on Wednesday evening (local time). She died from a gunshot wound to the chest after being rushed to the hospital.
Randhawa was enrolled in the occupational therapy assistant/physiotherapy assistant program at Mohawk College, according to The Spec.
In a statement, Mohawk College spokesperson Sean Coffey expressed the institution’s grief: “We are deeply saddened to learn of the death of Harsimrat Randhawa.”
The shooting occurred around 7:30 pm near Upper James Street and South Bend Road. Hamilton police reported that a passenger in a black Mercedes SUV fired at the occupants of a white sedan. After the gunfire, both vehicles fled the scene in different directions. Randhawa was struck by a stray bullet while standing at the bus stop.
Hamilton police confirmed that Randhawa was not involved in the altercation and was an innocent victim of the gunfire. The same shots also shattered the rear window of a nearby home on Allenby Avenue, where residents were watching television. However, no one inside the home was injured.
The Consulate General of India in Toronto extended condolences 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.”
Mohawk College also expressed its sorrow, stating: “Our thoughts are with her family and friends at this difficult time. 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.”
Hamilton police are urging anyone with dashcam or security footage taken between 7:15 pm and 7:45 pm near Upper James and South Bend Roads to come forward with information to aid in the ongoing investigation.
