Surendra Vaithilingam: Motive a mystery as police release photos of Scarborough shooting victim
Police have released photos of a man who was shot to death in his Scarborough backyard last week, but say they are still looking for a motive to explain the brazen killing.
On May 29, Surendra Vaithilingam and a family member were laying interlocking bricks in his backyard in preparation for his child’s birthday party when three men swarmed into his backyard and fired once before fleeing.
When police who responded at the home on Mantis Rd., near Morningside Ave. and Finch Ave. E., they found Vaithilingam, 38, suffering a gunshot wound.
He was pronounced dead at his home.
Toronto police Det.-Sgt. Justin Vander Heyden said Saturday that there is nothing obvious in Vaithilingam’s past that would explain the shooting.
However, he added that police do not believe this was a case of mistaken identity or a break-and-enter gone wrong.
Surveillance video captured by a homeowner across the street shows three men approaching the home on foot in broad daylight, walking at a normal pace. One peers around the side of Vaithilingam’s house on the east side of the street, before they disappear down the laneway on the opposite side.
Earlier, not shown on cameras, the suspects drove by the house and were able to see Vaithilingam carting a wheelbarrow into the backyard, Vander Heyden said. Shortly after, they parked up the street and arrived on foot.
The victim was shot close to the backyard gate, with two of the suspects never even making it into the backyard before turning around to run.
Less than a minute later, all three men are seen on camera running in the direction they came – north up Mantis Rd.
A four-door, North American, faded blue sedan was seen driving away from nearby Bobolink Ave.
Police are now digging deeper into Vaithilingam’s past to try to explain the killing or locate anyone who may have wanted to hurt him.
Vaithilingam’s death is listed as Toronto’s 25th homicide of 2013.
Surendra Vaithilingam: Motive a mystery as police release photos of Scarborough shooting victim | Toronto Star
video
CTV Toronto | News Video - Latest Toronto News Headlines, Breaking News and Live Reports
So 3 young black dudes (police say from the security video they released on youtube) do a slow drive-by, park around the corner, walk to buddy's house and up the breeze way to the back yard...shoot the dude in the chest and they dash away. Buddy's brother-in-law drags him into the house to call 9-1-1 then do CPR.
Jamaican on Tamil murder. The guy came here from Sri Lanka via France.
But he was a good guy, a 'father'. A working man. Just minding his own business but gets shot face to face by 3 scumbags. And cops say it's not mistaken identity. Interesting. Sounds like some other Tamil dude hired 3 lackies to do the job.
Police have released photos of a man who was shot to death in his Scarborough backyard last week, but say they are still looking for a motive to explain the brazen killing.
On May 29, Surendra Vaithilingam and a family member were laying interlocking bricks in his backyard in preparation for his child’s birthday party when three men swarmed into his backyard and fired once before fleeing.
When police who responded at the home on Mantis Rd., near Morningside Ave. and Finch Ave. E., they found Vaithilingam, 38, suffering a gunshot wound.
He was pronounced dead at his home.
Toronto police Det.-Sgt. Justin Vander Heyden said Saturday that there is nothing obvious in Vaithilingam’s past that would explain the shooting.
However, he added that police do not believe this was a case of mistaken identity or a break-and-enter gone wrong.
Surveillance video captured by a homeowner across the street shows three men approaching the home on foot in broad daylight, walking at a normal pace. One peers around the side of Vaithilingam’s house on the east side of the street, before they disappear down the laneway on the opposite side.
Earlier, not shown on cameras, the suspects drove by the house and were able to see Vaithilingam carting a wheelbarrow into the backyard, Vander Heyden said. Shortly after, they parked up the street and arrived on foot.
The victim was shot close to the backyard gate, with two of the suspects never even making it into the backyard before turning around to run.
Less than a minute later, all three men are seen on camera running in the direction they came – north up Mantis Rd.
A four-door, North American, faded blue sedan was seen driving away from nearby Bobolink Ave.
Police are now digging deeper into Vaithilingam’s past to try to explain the killing or locate anyone who may have wanted to hurt him.
Vaithilingam’s death is listed as Toronto’s 25th homicide of 2013.
Surendra Vaithilingam: Motive a mystery as police release photos of Scarborough shooting victim | Toronto Star
video
CTV Toronto | News Video - Latest Toronto News Headlines, Breaking News and Live Reports
So 3 young black dudes (police say from the security video they released on youtube) do a slow drive-by, park around the corner, walk to buddy's house and up the breeze way to the back yard...shoot the dude in the chest and they dash away. Buddy's brother-in-law drags him into the house to call 9-1-1 then do CPR.
Jamaican on Tamil murder. The guy came here from Sri Lanka via France.
But he was a good guy, a 'father'. A working man. Just minding his own business but gets shot face to face by 3 scumbags. And cops say it's not mistaken identity. Interesting. Sounds like some other Tamil dude hired 3 lackies to do the job.
