Two young men from Punjab were shot dead in a late-night shooting in southeast Edmonton, Canada on Friday. The victims were Gurdeep Singh, 27 and Ranveer Singh, 18. The Edmonton Police Service said it received calls about gunshots at around 2 am on December 12. The shooting happened near 32 Street and 26 Avenue. When police officers reached the spot, they found two men with gunshot injuries inside a vehicle.
Who were Gurdeep Singh and Ranveer Singh?
Gurdeep Singh from Barre village and Ranveer Singh from Uddat Saidewala were allegedly killed by unknown attackers in Edmonton, Canada. The families of both youths said neither Gurdeep nor Ranveer had ever spoken about any danger or threat to their lives. They were focused on their studies and careers and were hopeful about building a better future abroad.
Gurdeep’s family believes the attack may have been a case of mistaken identity. According to the family and friends, the SUV in which the two young men were sitting did not belong to them. “Ranveer was staying with his cousin and another relative in Brampton. After attending a job counselling session in Calgary on December 10, one of his friends invited him to a birthday party in Edmonton. Ranvir’s friends told us that as soon as he occupied the driver’s seat of an SUV owned by an associate of his friend, he was shot dead,” the uncle said, according to the Hindustan Times.
According to the family, Ranveer had gone to Canada in March last year. He was living in Brampton with his cousin and another relative. He was a commerce student and was studying accountancy, with dreams of working in the United States.
His uncle, Manpreet Singh, according to the Hindustan Times, said that Ranveer had travelled from Brampton to Calgary on December 10 for a counselling session. After the session, one of his friends invited him to a birthday party in Edmonton. Manpreet said that Ranvir’s friends later told the family that the shooting happened the moment Ranveer sat in the driver’s seat of an SUV owned by an associate of his friend. “He was the only son of my elder brother,” Manpreet said, adding that the entire family is in deep shock. The family has been told that Canadian police are investigating the case, and they are hoping for justice.
Gurdeep Singh is survived by his wife, Amandeep Kaur and his parents. His uncle, Darshan Singh, according to The Hindustan Times, said Gurdeep had gone to Canada in 2023 and was planning to settle there. His wife was supposed to join him soon. Darshan said their family lives together in a joint household. Gurdeep’s cousin, Arshdeep Singh, had also gone to Canada last year and was living there.
Aftermath of the shooting
The families have been informed that autopsies will be conducted next week. They are still waiting for full details about the crime, including the exact cause of death and why the attack happened. According to the police, the investigation is ongoing and they have appealed to the public for any information that could help bring clarity and justice in the case.
Police said the case has been classified as a targeted shooting and the investigation has been handed over to the homicide unit. Investigators have said the attack does not appear to be random. As part of the investigation, police are trying to trace a dark-coloured SUV that was seen in the area around the time of the shooting. They have asked people to share any dashcam or security camera footage from nearby areas, especially around Silverberry Road and 23 Avenue.