Police have arrested a suspect in connection with a pair of seemingly random shootings that they say targeted two “completely innocent” men just going about their lives.
The first shooting took place outside the Glen Road entrance to Sherbourne subway station at around 5 p.m. on April 7, resulting in the death of 21-year-old Seneca College student Kartik Vasudev.
Vasudev was an Indian citizen who arrived in Canada in January to study marketing at Seneca College.
His brother has previously told CP24 that he believes Vasudev was on his way to work when he was shot.
The second shooting took place in the vicinity of Dundas and George streets about 48 hours later.
Police have said that 35-year-old Elijah Eleazar Mahepath was walking in the area after picking up groceries when he too was fatally shot by the suspect.
Investigators say that the suspect had no verbal interaction with either victim and may not have even been in a position where he was able to make out their faces.
“We have nothing to suggest that he knew either one of them and what we believe, at this stage anyways, is that it was what we do describe as random. It was a chance meeting, a chance passing and for reasons that are only known to the suspect these two people were victimized on that day and now are dead,” Det. Sgt. Terry Browne told reporters during a news conference on Monday morning.
Police say they believe there were going to be more victims
Browne said that investigators were able to quickly link the two shootings “very early on” based on “the nature of the offences and how it was conducted.”
From there, he said that investigators used video surveillance footage to track the suspect “both from the area where he resides, to the area of the shooting and then back to his residence.”
The suspect was then arrested without incident at his residence in the Spadina Avenue and Bloor Street West area on Sunday night.
At the time of his arrest there were multiple loaded firearms found in the dwelling, including a rifle that Browne said was capable of “causing great carnage if used.”
“My personal opinion is there were going to be more victims,” Police Chief James Ramer said during the news conference. “When, I don’t know but he had an arsenal at home and quite frankly I believe this may have just been the first step.”
No criminal record
The suspect, identified as Richard Jonathan Edwin, has no criminal record and was the legal owner of the firearms found at his address.
Speaking with reporters, Browne said that investigators are currently doing a “very deep dive” to learn more about Edwin and what may have motivated the shootings.
But he said that they have only uncovered very “limited information” about him so far and are interested in speaking with anyone who may have had contact with him in the past.
“We really want to try to figure out the underbelly of this individual and why, if there is a reason, he may have done this on these two days and more importantly, what was he planning? Perhaps there was something planned for the future,” he said.
Police have said that they will delve further into the suspect’s background to determine if he could have committed any previous offences.
Ramer acknowledged that the arrest of the suspect “does nothing to ease the suffering of the victims and their families” but he said that he hopes that it at least provides them a “sliver of closure.”
He also said applauded the quick work of investigators in bringing about an arrest so quickly and suggested that lives may have been saved by their actions.
“I think his intention was to continue,” he said of the suspect.
Edwin is charged with two counts of first-degree murder.
