Four people have been taken to hospital after a violent incident on a quiet residential street in Hamilton.

Officers responded to a home on Holly Avenue shortly after 9:20 a.m. after receiving a number of calls from witnesses.  

Const. Steve Welton told CP24 that police originally received a report of a break-and-enter, but they became aware of a firearm incident after arriving on-scene.

A 46-year-old man was rushed to hospital with life-threatening injuries after being shot, Welton said. He is currently in stable condition in hospital. A woman and two other individuals were taken to hospital to be treated for wounds from an assault.

A 15-year-old male and an 18-year-old male are currently in custody and three male suspects are outstanding. Welton said the suspects abandoned a vehicle at the scene.

“This is a quiet street across the street from a community park,” Welton said.

He added that while no children were in the park at the time, the proximity is concerning.

“The backdrop of this type of incident is a concern. It is a residential neighburhood – there are families, there are children who do commonly play in this neighbourhood, so that is a concern for us,” Welton said.

The motive for the shooting remains unclear and Welton said it is still too early to say whether there is any connection to another shooting that took place in the area recently.

“There’s no clear evidence at this point whether or not they’re linked, but as the investigation continues, that will be a consideration,” Welton said.

 He added that while the investigation is still in its early stages, police don’t believe it was random.

Police are expected to remain at the scene for some time as they investigate.

“We’re going to be holding the scene down here and looking to speak with witnesses,” Welton said.

Police are asking anyone with information to come forward to speak with police or call Crime Stoppers anonymously.

Neighbours shocked

Neighbours at the scene said they were shocked to see officers descend on the quiet area.

“I couldn’t believe this was happening,” one woman said.  “I couldn’t believe it when they pulled up in the vehicles over there with the guns and fellas started coming out with guns, I couldn’t believe it.”

Another woman said she’s lives in the neighbourhood for a decade and has never seen anything like it.

“I’ve been here ten years and it’s been nothing,” she said. “The most you hear is the kids screaming at the park.”