Why was accused killer of U of T student out on parole?

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The man accused of what appears to be the random killing of a University of Toronto student should never have been out on the street.

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But, once again, the Parole Board of Canada rolled the dice with our safety.

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Just over a month after his day parole was extended, Babatunde Afuwape, 28, is accused of gunning down 20-year-old Shivank Avasthi on a trail at the university’s Scarborough campus.

Police allege Afuwape, who is charged with first-degree murder, was on campus for about an hour before and looking to target someone prior to the deadly shooting.

None of the allegations have been proven in court – but the accused killer’s rap sheet includes violence, guns and a constant disregard for his release conditions.

Afuwape was on parole while serving a sentence of 5 years, 3 months and 17 days for robbery, fail to comply with probation, discharge firearm reckless life/safety, possession of a prohibited/restricted firearm with ammunition, and several more fail to comply with court orders.

The judge also imposed a 10-year weapons ban.

The details of Afuwape’s crimes – and the countless instances of “catch and release” – listed in his most recent parole decision are enraging.

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In August 2018, he was convicted of forcible confinement, possession of a weapon, and fail to comply and got time served.

Just four months later, he and his co-accused attacked a 67-year-old pizza delivery driver, with one straddling him on the ground and the other holding his legs. According to the parole documents, while one assailant demanded his car keys, the other stabbed the victim twice – once to the back of the ear and once in the shoulder, before they fled in his vehicle, leaving him bleeding on the ground.

Afuwape was arrested a week later when he was caught driving the pizza delivery man’s car and blood on his boots tested positive for the victim’s DNA.

At his sentencing, the judge would find “the violence used was gratuitous and wholly unnecessary and repetitive.”

While awaiting trial, Afuwape was released on bail and in October 2020 he was seen on video surveillance leaving an area where witnesses had reported hearing gunshots. A search warrant of his home uncovered a black holster, loaded Geischert handgun, 39 rounds of Blazer 9mm Luger ammunition and an LCBO bag containing 27 spent Blazer 9mm Luger shell casings.

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After more than an hour of negotiation, he was placed under arrest.

And after about 10 months in custody, Afuwape was again released on bail.

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On April 21, 2022, Afuwape was arrested again following a foot pursuit after he was found not at home with his surety. He was released again, this time with electronic monitoring and conditions to remain in his father’s apartment at all times.

That didn’t do much good.

On Dec. 17, 2022, his father notified police that Afuwape had cut off his monitoring bracelet and left the apartment. When he didn’t show up for court in January 2023, a bench warrant was issued for his arrest and he turned himself in on Feb. 8, 2023.

Just over two years later, on March 11, 2025, Afuwape was granted day parole for six months – despite a psychological risk assessment dated Dec. 19, 2024 that rated him in the “high-risk range for violent recidivism based on actuarial assessments.”

To be fair, other scores indicated that four out of five similar offenders will not commit an indictable offence within three years of release.

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Released to a halfway house on May 29, 2025, Afuwape – who has virtually no work history – enrolled in a two-year HVAC program. The parole board found he “presented as motivated to complete your parole” and “no information to indicate a return to associating with negative peers or breach of conditions.”

Just this past November, Correctional Services Canada recommended Afuwape be granted full parole. Instead, the board extended his day parole for three months while they scheduled a full parole hearing.

“The Board cannot ignore the significantly violent nature of your offending, where a stranger is attacked and stabbed repeatedly and left bleeding, your use of a handgun where you fired off a number of times in a residential area and being in possession of the handgun and casings and the repeated breaches of conditions after your arrest.

“Therefore the Board orders a panel hearing.”

But that won’t be necessary now.

Instead, Afuwape is back in prison, this time facing a murder charge, and an innocent third-year student from India is dead.

mmandel@postmedia.com

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