A 32-year-old man has been arrested in the death of an international student who was fatally struck by a stray bullet in April, Hamilton police said Thursday.
Harsimrat Randhawa, a 21-year-old student from India, was waiting for a bus on April 17 when she was caught in the crossfire and fatally shot in the chest as occupants of several vehicles were shooting at each other, police said.
Police believe the dispute started several minutes before the fatal shooting and culminated at the bus stop.
The suspect was arrested in Niagara Falls, Ont., on Tuesday and has been charged with first-degree murder and three counts of attempted murder.
Det. Sgt. Daryl Reid told reporters Thursday that the first-degree murder charge "comes as a result of some involvement that directly resulted in (Randhawa's) death," saying he was unable to provide more information as the case is now before the courts.
The accused has family ties to the Halton, Hamilton and Niagara regions and tended to move around in short-term rental properties, Reid said.
He said at least seven people, four cars and multiple guns were involved in the incident in the area of Upper James Street and South Bend Road, where bullets also reportedly flew through the window of a nearby home, but no one inside was injured.
"The investigation is still ongoing and we will do everything in our power to identify, locate and arrest all these people that are involved in this death," Reid said.
In an April interview with The Canadian Press, Randhawa's cousin Balraj Singh said the student was dreaming of opening her own physiotherapy clinic after graduating from Mohawk College.
He described Randhawa as a quiet person who was "brilliant" in her studies while enjoying her life in Canada.
Police recovered two of the vehicles involved in the case in the week following the shooting, but Reid did not say whether other vehicles had been located.
He also did not disclose what led to the shooting.
"The motive behind that dispute, that's a major part of the court process," he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 7, 2025.
Natasha Baldin, The Canadian Press
