On March 14, Birinder Singh, a 22-year-old Indian man who had recently obtained a work permit in Canada, was killed in a random shooting on Highway 2 near Leduc. Police said a white or gray pickup truck approached a black Honda Civic and the man inside the truck opened fire, striking Singh, who was driving the Honda Civic. The truck then fled the scene at high speed. Two of Singer’s childhood friends were in the car when he was hit. They told Global News that when the truck pulled up next to their car, a man in the truck made something similar to a peace sign. Singh waved back. Shots were fired in the truck. “We just heard a gunshot and within a minute, everything happened and everything changed. Our whole world is really fucked up right now. We feel really traumatized,” the friend said.Friends recall the horrific moment Singh was shot. The bullet struck his neck and he was unable to speak, and could only indicate to them that he had been shot. They took control of the car, reached over him, and called 911. Emergency crews arrived quickly, but Singer had lost too much blood and could not be rescued. “He doesn’t deserve to be treated like this, like the really nice guy he is,” the friend said.Friends don’t know why Singh was attacked, whether it was a hate crime or whether the truck driver thought they were racing him. Singh came to Canada three years ago to study business administration in Brampton. He moved to Edmonton in October 2025 and began working in construction. The friend said Singer wanted to start his own company. A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to bring Singh’s body back to India so his parents can see him one last time.The RCMP said investigators have not collected enough information to determine whether the shooting was random or targeted.The Indian Consulate in Vancouver said in a statement: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic murder of Indian student Birinder Singh in Alberta on March 14, 2026. We extend our deepest condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time. The Consulate General stands firmly with the family of the deceased and provides all possible assistance.”
