A young woman who lost her life in a shooting outside a nightclub in Mississauga, Ontario, on New Year’s Eve was not the intended target, according to police. The victim has been identified as 19-year-old Aaliyah Kaur, a student at Sheridan College.
Shooting occurred after a dispute between two groups
The shooting happened around 1:30 a.m. on Dec. 31, 2023, outside the Rebel nightclub near Eglinton Avenue East and Dixie Road. Peel Regional Police said there was a dispute between two groups of people inside the club, which spilled outside.
One of the suspects pulled out a gun and fired several shots, hitting Kaur and two other people. Kaur was pronounced dead at the scene, while the other two victims, a 20-year-old man and a 21-year-old woman, were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Police said Kaur was with a group of friends who had nothing to do with the dispute. She was standing near the entrance of the club when she was shot.
Police looking for three suspects
Police have released surveillance video and images of three suspects who fled the scene in a dark-coloured SUV. They are described as:
- Suspect 1: Male, Black, 20 to 25 years old, wearing a black jacket with a fur hood, black pants, and black shoes.
- Suspect 2: Male, Black, 20 to 25 years old, wearing a grey hoodie, black pants, and black shoes.
- Suspect 3: Male, Black, 20 to 25 years old, wearing a black jacket, black pants, and black shoes.
Police are asking anyone with information or dashcam footage to contact them or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
Victim remembered as a bright and caring person
Kaur’s family and friends are devastated by her death. They said she was a bright and caring person who had a passion for fashion and photography. She was studying business administration at Sheridan College and had plans to pursue a career in marketing.
“She was always smiling, always happy, always positive,” said her cousin, Simran Kaur. “She had so much potential, so much to offer to the world.”
Simran Kaur said her cousin loved to travel and had recently visited India and Dubai. She said she was looking forward to celebrating the New Year with her friends at the nightclub.
“She was just there to have fun, to enjoy life,” she said. “She didn’t deserve this at all.”
Community calls for an end to gun violence
The shooting has sparked outrage and grief in the community, especially among young people. Many of them gathered at a vigil on Jan. 1, 2024, to pay tribute to Kaur and call for an end to gun violence.
“We need to stop this senseless violence that is taking away our youth, our future,” said Jaspreet Singh, a friend of Kaur. “We need to stand together and say enough is enough.”
Singh said he hopes the perpetrators will be brought to justice and face the consequences of their actions.
“They need to realize that they are not only killing someone, they are killing a whole family, a whole community,” he said.
