Friends hoped for 'miracle' before 49-year-old succumbed to his injuries after shooting in Toronto
A father and financial analyst who had been fighting for his life since he was shot outside his home in Midtown Toronto on Sunday succumbed to his injuries Wednesday, police said, leaving friends and family in disbelief.
Ike Kaja, 49, was a genial and sweet person who was not a risk taker and was so concerned about COVID-19 he would only meet outside, said his friend Katia Millar.
“When I heard the news I was heartbroken for him and his family and his four-year-old son and all the people who love and care for him,” Millar said.
“This is someone who was not involved in any kind of trouble or anything. He was scared of COVID more than anyone. He was cautious and careful in everything in his life,” Millar said.
Toronto police were called before midnight to Avenue Road near Eglinton Avenue around 10 p.m. on Sunday. When officers arrived, they found a man suffering from life-threatening injuries in a car behind the property.
Millar said Kaja had just dropped off his four-year-old son and was coming home.
He was taken to hospital, where he died on Wednesday.
“I was shaken. I was hoping for a miracle. I knew that being shot in the head is not something you survive easily and you’re not going to come out unscathed, but I was hoping for a better outcome,” Millar said.
Flowers were dropped off at Kaja’s home on Avenue Road on Friday, with neighbours describing the killing as a complete surprise.
Kaja was a financial analyst. He completed an MBA at Rotman School of Business. He grew up in Nigeria but called Maryland home where he worked as an accountant until he moved to Toronto at age 34.
In an article on FT.com he described his love of the stock market, saying he wanted to come to study in this city because it was a financial hub.
“The icing on the cake: I have the opportunity to live in and explore the beautiful city of Toronto,” he wrote in the article.
Police are asking anyone who was in the area between 8 p.m. and 11 p.m. or who may have video footage to contact police at 416-808-7400 or reach out to Crime Stoppers anonymously.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What's a Barnacle? It's yellow, sticks and screams if you try to pry it off your car
Barnacles, bright yellow devices used to make sure parking scofflaws pay their tickets, could soon be making their way to cities across Canada.
Verdun Airbnb listing taken down amid complaints, fines and frustration from neighbours
An Airbnb in Montreal's Verdun borough was the source of much frustration from neighbours who say there were constant parties at the location. It has been taken down from the app, but housing advocates remain upset about short-term rentals.
They were from different countries and barely spoke each other's languages. More than 20 years later, they're still happily in love
He decided to spend Christmas somewhere that wouldn't involve snowstorm disasters. She was spending the holidays with family, travelling for the first time outside of her native country of Venezuela. 23 years later, they're still in love.
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say
A man who doused himself in an accelerant and set himself on fire outside the courthouse where former U.S. President Donald Trump is on trial has died, police said.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
Moscow says 50 Ukrainian drones shot down as attacks spark fires at Russian power stations
Ukraine launched a barrage of drones across Russia overnight, the Defence Ministry in Moscow said Saturday, in attacks that appeared to target the country's energy infrastructure.
A Nigerian chess champion plays the royal game for 60 hours - a new global chess record
A Nigerian chess champion and child education advocate played chess nonstop for 60 hours in New York City's Times Square to break the Guinness World Record for the longest chess marathon.
Fire in Labrador town under control, officials tells residents to stay away
RCMP say the fire that prompted a state of emergency in a Labrador town is now under control.
12 students and teacher killed in Columbine school shooting remembered at 25th anniversary vigil
Thirteen victims of the Columbine High School shooting were remembered during a vigil Friday on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the shooting that was the worst the nation had seen at the time.