A Karnataka Tech Professional Gunned Down In Daylight Toronto Mall Shooting
A 37-year-old software engineer of Indian origin from Karnataka was killed in a suspected targeted shooting in the parking lot of a major Toronto shopping centre, sparking a homicide investigation and deep sorrow among his family and the local Kannada community.
Chandan Kumar Raja Nandakumar, who lived in Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area, was attacked on Saturday around 3:30 pm local time near the entrance of Woodbine Shopping Centre, at Rexdale Boulevard and Highway 27. Toronto Police Service (TPS) officers arrived after reports of gunfire and found him inside his white SUV with multiple gunshot wounds. He was taken to hospital in critical condition but died shortly afterward.
Authorities have described the incident as targeted, with the assailants escaping in a vehicle. No arrests have been reported, and the motive remains under investigation. TPS Inspector Errol Watson highlighted public safety worries, stating that a shooting in broad daylight at a mall could understandably alarm residents.
Chandan, originally from Thyamagondlu village near Nelamangala in Bengaluru Rural district—roughly 47 km from Bengaluru—was the only son of his parents. His father, Nandakumar, shared their final conversation from Friday, when Chandan mentioned taking leave to visit India this summer for marriage discussions. “We are completely shattered,” the father told The Times of India. Relatives lamented that he had often delayed returning home despite family urging, believing it might have averted the tragedy.
A computer science alumnus of Sapthagiri College in Bengaluru, Chandan previously worked at Cognizant in the city before moving to Canada about six years ago. At the time of his death, he was employed by LTI Mindtree, a subsidiary of L&T. He was well-known in Toronto’s Kannada diaspora for organizing and promoting films, music, and cultural events.
Some family members speculated that his involvement in starting a Kannada cultural association in Toronto might be connected, though police have not confirmed any link.
The killing marks Toronto’s third homicide of the year and has reverberated through Indian communities in Canada and Karnataka. Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara expressed distress at the loss of a fellow Kannadiga and noted that state police have contacted the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to assist with repatriating the body. Chikkaballapura MP Dr K Sudhakar is also working with MEA on the issue.
Chandan’s uncle, Murali Krishna, voiced confusion over the motive, describing him as someone who had built a stable life through hard work abroad. The tragedy has left relatives and friends grappling with profound grief and unanswered questions.