GTA shooting rampage: International student Satwinder Singh, 28, dies of injuries

Satwinder Singh Photo: GoFundMe

INTERNATIONAL student Satwinder Singh, 28, of Milton died on Saturday, September 17 of injuries sustained in the September 12 shooting rampage in the Greater Toronto Area that also left Shakeel Ashraf, 38, the owner of MK Auto Repairs in Milton, and Toronto Police Constable Andrew Hong, 48, dead.

The Halton Regional Police Service (HRPS) announced on Saturday that Satwinder Singh “passed away peacefully at the Hamilton General Hospital with his family and friends by his side.” It added: “Satwinder was an international student from India who was working part-time at MK Auto Repairs at the time of shooting.”

The Toronto Star reported that his father had come from Dubai, where he works as a truck driver. He gave staff at the Hamilton General Hospital permission to pull his son off life support on Saturday afternoon. He had not seen his son since before the pandemic.

A GoFundMe account set up for him had raised more than the goal of $50,000 by Tuesday, September 20.

The GoFundMe stated: “He had a passion for reading and writing, which inspired him to become a poet. He finished his BBA and MBA in marketing in India and came to Canada to study Global Business Management. He was an international student at Conestoga College and completed his studies in August 2022. He was working part-time at an Auto Body shop to support himself financially.”

 

Shakeel Ashraf
Photo: Facebook

AS reported by voiceonline.com last week, victim Ashraf ‘s funeral was held in Mississauga on Wednesday.

Ashraf leaves behind a wife and two young daughters. Islamic Relief Canada called him a “beloved community member” on their Facebook page. The EOSCL – Event Ontario Softball Cricket League – said on their Facebook page on Monday: “We are sad to announce that one of EOSCL Season 7 player Shakeel from Team MSA Qalandars, died in a fatal shooting today in Milton.”

On Thursday, September 15, Ontario’s Peel Regional Police said in an update that officers from their Homicide and Missing Persons Bureau were investigating the murders of Constable Hong and further shooting incidents that injured three other people in both Peel and Halton Regions.

On Monday at approximately 2:15 p.m., police responded to reports of a shooting at the Tim Hortons restaurant located at 3110 Argentia Road in Mississauga. Hong was found deceased inside the restaurant.

Hong was instructing at a Police Motorcycle Operations Course sponsored by Peel Regional Police. He was on his lunch break when the suspect ambushed and shot him at close range.

Shortly after this incident, the suspect fled to a nearby parking lot and, while carjacking a Black SUV, shot the male driver before fleeing the scene. That male was transported to a trauma centre, where he underwent surgery for his injuries. He remained in stable condition and has life-altering injuries.

At approximately 2:50 p.m., the Halton Regional Police Service responded to multiple reports of a shooting at an auto shop in Milton which resulted in the death of Ashraf. Two other victims were transported to hospital. They remain in critical and serious conditions.

The suspect was later located in Hamilton and was later pronounced deceased as a result of an interaction with police while attempting to take him into custody.  The Special Investigations Unit on Ontario is now investigating.

Police said the suspect has been identified as 40-year-old Sean Petrie, of no fixed address. Petrie has an extensive criminal record dating back 20 years with convictions for assault, armed robbery, robbery, carrying a concealed weapon, careless storage of a firearm, possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm, possession of property obtained by crime, theft under $5,000, failure to comply with a probation order and failure to comply with recognizance. In 2007, he was placed on the National Flagging System after being deemed a high risk to re-offend.  His last conviction was in 2015 for a criminal driving offence.