Police have identified Chandan Kumar Raja Nandakumar, 37, of Brampton, Ont. as the man who was shot and killed in the parking lot of Woodbine Shopping Centre.
Police say they received a report at about 3:31 p.m. on Feb. 7, and found a man with gunshot wounds. He was taken “to hospital with life-threatening injuries and later died,” according to a Toronto Police media release. The case is being investigated by the Homicide and Missing Persons Unit and is Toronto’s third homicide of 2026.
For many Kannada-speaking residents across the Greater Toronto Area, the news landed less as a headline and more as a personal blow. Friends and community members describe Nandakumar as a steady volunteer and a familiar presence at cultural events, someone who seemed to know everyone.
Shreeharsha Hegde, president of Kannada Sangha Toronto, said the organization is focused on supporting Nandakumar’s family in the days ahead.
“Our community is of the opinion that we will support his family in whatever way is required,” Hegde said. The group wants to give the family time to settle before assessing what help is needed and how best to proceed, he said.
In a condolence message circulated to members, Kannada Sangha described Nandakumar as service minded, active in cultural and social activities and someone who “always wanted to lend a helping hand.”
Toronto police confirmed in an email that the shooting is believed to be targeted.
Vijay Bangalore, who served as president of Kannada Sangha Toronto from 2023 to 2025, said he met Nandakumar through mutual friends years ago and quickly noticed how naturally he built community, especially through informal networks that many newcomers rely on.
Bangalore said Nandakumar created WhatsApp groups where people could share information and ask questions, including groups focused on immigration processes such as permanent residency applications. New Canadian Media has previously reported on Nandakumar’s use of WhatsApp groups to share information about rice availability.
Bangalore said he invited Nandakumar to volunteer as a social media coordinator when he was part of the organization’s leadership, partly because of how widely connected he already was.
“He was managing so many groups that I thought he was the right person to promote Kannada Sangha to other groups and bring people to our events,” Bangalore said. “He joined and did a fantastic job.”
Bangalore said he learned of Nandakumar’s death Sunday morning from a friend. “I was shocked,” he said. “I didn’t know how to react.”
As police continue investigating, community leaders have urged caution about speculation particularly rumours circulating online and in some outside coverage.
A GoFundMe fundraiser set up in Nandakumar’s name says it aims to cover funeral and documentation costs in Canada and repatriation-related expenses, with any remaining funds intended to support his parents in Bangalore.
Shilpashree Jagannathan is a Toronto-based freelance journalist, copywriter, and content strategist whose work has appeared in CBC News, New Canadian Media, Business Insider, TRT World, and Mint, among others. She has reported on immigration, labour, elections, housing, climate impacts, and social justice across Canadian and international contexts. With roots in business journalism in India and a strong investigative and research background, she approaches her reporting with investigative depth and empathy, tracing how policy and power shape lived experience.
