A 17-year-old suspect wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of an innocent bystander in Hamilton last summer is now in custody, police announced Wednesday.
The teen, who turned himself into police this week, faces a second-degree murder charge in the death of Belinda Sarkodie, who was shot and killed in broad daylight near King Street East and James Street on July 11.
Police previously said Sarkodie had been spending time with a friend downtown when was she was struck by gunfire just outside Jackson Square mall.
Sarkodie was not the intended target of the shooting, police said.
A second person was also wounded in the shooting but survived the attack.
Speaking to reporters at a news conference in Hamilton on Wednesday, Hamilton Police Chief Frank Bergen called the incident a “brazen disregard” for human life.
“To think of July 11th in arguably the busiest intersection of our city… steps from away from an art crawl where thousands of people were gathering that afternoon to enjoy the great culture and the great things that we have in the beautiful City of Hamilton, and a young punk thinks it is OK, thinks they are entitled enough to show up on a scooter and take the life of a 26-year-old young girl, Belinda, from Ghana,” Bergen told reporters.
Police identified a suspect in the case shortly after the incident but his location was not known until he surrendered to police this week, more than four months after the shooting.
The suspect, who also faces two counts of attempted murder, cannot be identified as per the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
Trend of youth violence ‘unacceptable’
“We want to thank the public for their cooperation as well as the officers and community partners who worked diligently on this case,” Det.-Sgt. John Obrovac told reporters.
“We also want to acknowledge, of course, the Sarkodie family. They have suffered an unimaginable loss and our thoughts remain with them as they continue to navigate this incredibly difficult time.”
Bergen said despite a drop in shootings in Hamilton this year, the “trajectory” or youth violence in the community is “unacceptable.”
“If the 12-year-olds and the 14-year-ols and this in this case, a 17-year-old, feels it’s ok to bring out a gun in the afternoon amongst hundreds of people to settle a dispute, or to try to be tougher the next person, then we’ve got a problem,” he said.
