TORONTO -- A 22-year-old Brampton, Ont. man killed in an unprovoked attack while on his way home from his place of worship last week is being remembered by loved ones as “a gem of a person.”
It was shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Aug. 13 when a passerby reported finding a male along a pathway covered in blood.
When police arrived at the scene, located in the area of Queen Mary and Heathwood drives, they found an unconscious male without vital signs. He was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead a short time later.
The victim has been identified as Surajdeep Singh.
Earlier that day, Surajdeep Singh was at his place of work. He then, as he regularly did, attended his place of worship before heading home for the night.
“He was very religious. He was very into God. From work he used to go to gurdwara and then after gurdwara he used to come home the same way,” his cousin Chandandeep Singh told CTV News Toronto on Monday while standing by the pathway where the incident took place.
“All I know is that he got stabbed here and he never came back home.”
Surajdeep Singh’s watch and cell phone were missing when he was found, according to his cousin.
Chandandeep Singh described his cousin, who was younger than him by one year, as “a gem of a person,” who would never fight with anyone.
“I couldn’t believe it,” he said. “When I told my uncle that this is what had happened we were all shocked, they couldn’t believe it.”
Surajdeep Singh moved to Canada from India three years ago and was “working hard to make something of his life,” his cousin said. He worked part-time at a factory in Peel Region and was planning on returning to Montreal to continue his studies in business, which was put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Surajdeep Singh’s parents live in India. His body will be flown there for funeral services once released by police.
On Friday, investigators announced an arrest had been made in the “unprovoked attack that tragically took Surajdeep Singh away from his family.”
A 16-year-old boy, who cannot be identified as per the terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act, now faces a charge of second-degree murder.
While announcing the arrest, police said the investigation is ongoing.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact officers at 905-453-2121, ext. 3205 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
