Police ID victim of fatal 'targeted' shooting in Markham, appeal for more info

An Oct. 19 shooting in Markham has left one man dead. (Corey Baird/CTV News Toronto)

Police in York Region have identified a man who was fatally shot outside his house on Saturday night in Markham.

The incident happened at a residence on Hepburn Street, which is near McCowan Road and 14th Avenue.

York Regional Police (YRP) said they were called to that area just after 6:30 p.m. for a weapons call.

At the scene, officers found an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot injuries in the driveway of the home he shared with his wife. It is not clear at this point if she was home at the time of the shooting, police said. No other injuries have been reported.

The victim, who was not immediately identified, was pronounced dead at the scene.

He has now been identified as 44-year-old Partheepan Panchalingam, of Markham.

Investigators say he was known to police.

A man by the same name also applied for a tow truck license in the city of Toronto back in 2018.

A suspect wearing dark clothing as well as a white SUV were both seen fleeing the area around the time of the incident, Const. Lisa Moskaluk, of York Regional Police, told the media on Sunday afternoon.

Moskaluk said investigators believe that this is a “targeted incident” for reasons she was unable to share at this point. She was also unable to provide more information about a possible motive for the shooting at this point.

“But we do want the community, because obviously this is a shooting that occurred in broad daylight, which is pretty shocking in any of our communities, so we do want to ensure our citizens that they are aware that this is a targeted incident,” she said

“We do not believe this was a random act.”

Moskaluk went on to say that police are investigating Panchalingam’s background and his relationship.

“He is known to police and that’s why we think that this incident was targeted,” she said, adding that officers continue to canvass the are where the fatal shooting occurred and are urging anyone with information to reach out to police or Crime Stopers anonymously.

“It was 630 in the evening, so and it was quite a nice day yesterday, so there would have been a lot of people out and walking around, perhaps, and maybe there’s somebody that hasn’t spoken to our investigators yet. … And also, the 407 is quite close so if anyone saw anything around 630 o’clock or just thereafter, something suspicious, somebody speeding a white SUV again in either direction, on the 407 or in that area that has not reached out. Please check your dash cam and provide that to our investigators. They’d be interested in seeing that information.”

People in the area say they’re shocked and upset by what has happened in their neighbourhood.

Police, meanwhile, are now in the process of collecting surveillance footage from nearby homes.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact YRP’s homicide unit at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 7865, or [e-mail], or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

With files from CP24’s Bryann Aguilar and CTV News Toronto’s John Musselmann