He was shot 13 times in the attack that killed both of his parents. Now he is speaking

WARNING: This story contains details of gun violence.

Jaspreet Kaur Sidhu remembers the night her parents were killed from the hospital room where she had been recovering for months after being shot 13 times and nearly dying.

On November 20, 2023, Sidhu, 28, says a man broke into his family's rental home in Caledon and opened fire. His father died at the scene and his mother died later in hospital.

“My father was shot in front of me. I heard my mother's last scream. After that there was complete silence. Only the sound of gunshots,” Sidhu told CBC Toronto in an interview from the hospital where he was being treated.

He was shot multiple times from the shoulder to the leg and underwent 18 hours of surgery to remove bullets from his left arm, stomach and right leg. Her condition was so dire that her brother Sidhu said she kept her parents' death a secret until December, when a hospital social worker accidentally informed her.

“I didn't speak all day, all night. I lied like that. I had no emotion,” Sidhu said. “I'm out of my mind.”

Until now, Sidhu – unable to speak due to gunshot wounds to his throat and stomach – said he was praying and hoping his parents would survive.

Sidhu says he thanks God for the “miracle” of his survival even though his life has been turned upside down.

He must learn to sit, stand and walk again. She says some days she feels in control, while others are filled with pain, medication and panic attacks.

The night of the shooting

A teary-eyed Sidhu says he remembers being in his room on the first floor of the house he rented on Mayfield Road with his younger brother Gurdit.

He has been living there with Gurdit since August 2022. Last September, their parents came from India for a month-long visit and Sidhu says he spent time with them. His mother Harbhajan Sidhu was 57 years old as was his father Jagtar Sidhu.

He told CBC Toronto that his father was a “saint” and his mother was a kind woman who fed everyone who came to visit and treated her children's “friends as if they were her own sons and daughters.”

Sidhu, who was two months into his parents' extended visit, says a man entered his home and started shooting. He says he was unconscious for a while, but called 911 as soon as he regained consciousness.

“I kept saying 'shots were fired' … 'the whole family was shot,'” he said.

He saw his father lying on the ground next to him. He could not see his mother who heard her screams until he regained consciousness.

“I could do nothing,” said Sidhu; he felt helpless.

A spokesperson for the Ontario Provincial Police, which is investigating the shooting, told CBC Toronto that the OPP could not confirm whether the shooting was targeted or a case of mistaken identity.

While visiting the shooting location, CBC Toronto reporters saw bloodstains as well as bullet holes in the bathroom door where Sidhu's father was killed and in the door of Sidhu's bedroom.

Long road to recovery

Sidhu says there are two bullets in his body which cannot be removed unless it causes further complications.

Despite her injuries and hospital stay, she says all she can think about is why a Peel police homicide detective came to her home four days before the shooting. The shooting itself is being investigated by the OPP.

Both police forces told CBC Toronto last week that they could not share any information because their cases are under investigation.

My father was shot in front of my eyes. I heard my mother's last scream. After that there was complete silence. Only the sound of gunfire.– Jaspreet Kaur Sidhu

Sidhu wants to know if his parents could have been saved if the police had warned them of any danger. “We could have left immediately,” he said.

Coping with the loss, Sidhu says she is focused on participating in her brother's ongoing fight for justice for their parents.

Gurdit, who was at work the night of the shooting, spent the past few months emailing politicians at all levels. He wants the police to make the case a priority and find answers. He launched a website where people can email local MPs to ask them to fast-track an OPP investigation.

“Justice delayed is injustice,” Sidhu said.

SEE | A month after his parents were shot, this son is still looking for answers:

Sidhu says he will not be able to work for at least the next two years due to his injury. The family is fundraising to help his brother cover his expenses.

Sidhu says his brother is his only ray of hope.

“It's been really tough – up and down every day. “But when I think about my brother, I get motivated, I get energy,” he said.

Gurdit was not at home the night of the shooting, Sidhu says, “This is my only will to live.”