Techie from Karnataka shot dead at busy Toronto mall; visuals show car riddled with bullet holes

• Indian-origin tech professional Chandan Nandakumar shot dead at Toronto mall
• Police believe the attack was targeted; no arrests made yet
• Family and Karnataka officials mourn and seek help to repatriate his body.

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A 37-year-old Indian-origin tech professional from Karnataka was shot dead in a shocking daylight attack at the parking lot of a busy shopping mall in Toronto on Saturday.

The victim has been identified as Chandan Kumar Raja Nandakumar, a resident of Brampton in the Greater Toronto Area. He hailed from Thyamagondlu village near Nelamangala in Bengaluru Rural district. Chandan had been living and working in Canada for the past six years.

#UPDATE: Police identify Chanda Kumar Raja Nandakumar, 37, as victim in Woodbine Mall shooting! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/LYghoIjBjD

— RTN (@RTNToronto) February 8, 2026

Back home in Thyamagondlu, about 47 km from Bengaluru, Chandan’s parents are struggling to accept the sudden loss of their only son. His father, Nandakumar, said the family had spoken to him just days before the incident. “We spoke to him last Friday. He said he would take leave and come home this summer. We were planning for his marriage. We are completely shattered,” he said.

According to police, the shooting took place around 3.30 pm local time near the entrance of the Woodbine Shopping Centre, close to Rexdale Boulevard. Chandan was sitting inside his SUV when unidentified assailants opened fire. The attackers fled the spot in a vehicle soon after the shooting.

In a statement, the Toronto Police Service (TPS) said officers rushed to the scene after receiving reports of gunfire and found Chandan with multiple gunshot wounds. “He was transported to a hospital with life-threatening injuries before he succumbed to the wounds,” family members told The Times of India, quoting the TPS communication.

Visuals from the scene showed Chandan’s white car riddled with bullet holes. Based on initial findings, police believe the incident was a “targeted” attack. No arrests have been made so far, and a homicide investigation is currently underway.

TPS Inspector Errol Watson said the shooting had raised serious concerns about public safety. “I can understand how a shooting like this, especially at a mall, can cause concern for the safety of the public,” he said.

Chandan was a computer science graduate from Sapthagiri College in Bengaluru. Before moving to Canada, he had worked with Cognizant in Bengaluru. In Canada, he was employed with LTI Mindtree, a subsidiary of Larsen & Toubro.

Family members said Chandan had delayed returning to India several times due to work commitments. “Had he listened to us and returned, he would have been with us now,” his father said.

Some relatives have expressed suspicion that Chandan’s involvement in forming a Kannada association in Toronto may have played a role in the attack. However, police have not confirmed any motive so far. This is Toronto’s third homicide this year, adding to growing concerns among the Indian diaspora.

Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara expressed grief over the incident. “We are disturbed by the incident. We have lost a Kannadiga. Our police department has already sought the help of the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to bring back the body,” he said.

Chandan’s uncle, Murali Krishna, said the family was unable to understand why he was targeted. “He built a stable life abroad and was working hard. He was the only son. We don’t know why this happened,” he was quoted by TOI as saying.