'Every day we're dying,' says family of international student killed in Toronto
The family of Kartik Vasudev knew they always wanted to travel from India to visit Toronto, where their son was studying, to see where he lived, ate and spent most of his time.
But what they didn't expect, was to be here doing it all without him.
Vasudev, a 21-year-old international student at Seneca College, was heading to his part-time job on April 7 when he was fatally gunned down outside Sherbourne subway station.
Two months later, his family arrived in Toronto to collect his things as they search for answers.
"There [are] so many questions which are haunting us and we need answers," said Jitesh Vasudev, his father.
He said the past two months have been filled with sleepless nights for the family as they grieve the loss of their child.
On April 7, officers arrived to find Vasudev with multiple gunshot wounds. He was rushed to hospital where he later died.
Originally from India, Vasudev arrived in Canada on Jan. 5 after years of planning his career and a new life here.
On April 12, a man was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree murder in two separate "unprovoked" killings of Vasudev and a 35-year-old man.
Police say they found a cache of loaded guns and weapons when they arrested Richard Jonathan Edwin, 39.
Investigators have said they believe Edwin was a "complete stranger" to both men, who also didn't know each other.
'When we get justice ... then I'll feel peace'
"My child was totally innocent, he had no fault," said Kartik's mother, Pooja Vasudev.
"[The accused] did not kill Kartik, he killed everyone, my family. Every day we are dying ... when we get justice for Kartik, then I'll feel peace."
Pardh Vasudev, 16, shared everything with his brother. Now that he's gone, he feels that emptiness.
"He [was] my one and only friend," he said.
Vasudev was living in Toronto for three months and in the first semester of marketing management at Seneca.
He would video call his family in India and tell them about the restaurants he loved and where he liked to go during his free time, his father says.
This week, the family visited Vasudev's school to see where he studied. They also went to his apartment to collect his belongings.
"We want to look [at] Canada with the eyes of Kartik, he's not here, so we want to see with his eyes, this place," said Vasudev's mother.
She says it was difficult to see his apartment that they had only seen in video calls.
"We are missing him each and every moment," she said through tears.
While Vasudev's family will continue to look for answers, they say they are overwhelmed with the support they have received.
"We are thankful to the Indian consulate in Canada for their local support regarding accommodation and transportation," Jitesh Vasudev said. "Also we would like to thank the management of Seneca College who stood with us and supported us in this difficult time."
