Parents of a 19-year-old man found dead inside a Scarborough shopping mall are reeling with grief and say they do not know why anybody would want to hurt their son.
In an interview with CBC Toronto on Friday, Judin Basil and Mariyathasan Amalathas broke down in tears repeatedly, saying Daniel Amalathas was a “regular, wonderful, lovable kid” who took care of them, went to church and loved everybody.
“Somebody killed my son,” Basil said.
Basil said she got “the beginning of an answer” from a detective Friday as to what happened, but added she has been mainly left with questions.
“We don’t know why this is happening.”
Toronto police announced on Friday that two boys, both 17, had been charged with second-degree murder in Daniel’s death. The pair, who cannot be named under the Youth Criminal Justice Act, were arrested on Thursday and were scheduled to appear in court Friday morning.
Just before 2 p.m. on Aug. 21, police responded to a call that someone had been shot at Scarborough Town Centre. They found a 19-year-old in a family washroom suffering from a gunshot wound. The man, later identified as Daniel Amalathas, was pronounced dead at the scene.
The shooting was Toronto’s 27th homicide of 2025.
His parents said Daniel was a second-year automotive engineering student at Ontario Tech University and worked part-time at Costco in Ajax, Ont. He loved animals, was particularly fond of his dog, Shalom, and loved cars.
“He’s very kind and very patient with us and … lovable. He is always going to church with us,” Basil said.
“He’s a very busy guy, you know, working, school and he fixed the car. He go to the gym. He finished swimming, skating. He’s very active. He go to church,” she said.
Basil said Daniel would sometimes drop her off at work in the wintertime, and because she was scared to drive after work, he would come back to pick her up, saying: “Mama, don’t drive if you don’t feel safe. I will help you.”
She added: “He’s helping us a lot.”
With Daniel gone, Basil and her husband’s message to their son is: “I love you.”
Many neighbours have come over to cry over the loss of Daniel, she added.
Now, the family is receiving support from neighbours, friends, family members and pastors from Malvern Christian Assembly.
“We have a strength to stand because of their support,” she said.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact police.
