A 19-year-old man has now been identified as Hamilton’s latest homicide victim of the year following a shooting inside a downtown apartment building Thursday night.
During a news conference on Friday, Hamilton police identified the victim as Talon Williams-Parkin who was killed after officers responded to reports of gunfire at 191 Main St. W., near Caroline Street South sometime around 6:30 p.m.
That’s where investigators say Williams-Parkin was found suffering from gunshot wounds and rushed to hospital, where he later died.
Speaking to reporters, police say they now believe there was an exchange of gunfire inside the building, suggesting that one of the suspects may have been injured.
“Investigators believe an exchange of gunfire occurred inside the unit within the building. During the incident, the victim was struck, and evidence suggests the suspect may also have been injured,” Det. Staff Sgt. Michael Ebert told reporters.
Ebert also revealed that officers received a separate report of an injured person in the area, though police have not yet confirmed whether that call is connected to this homicide.
As of today, just two suspects have been identified, and the circumstances leading up to the shooting remain unknown.
Suspect descriptions
Authorities have identified the first suspect as a short Black male with long dreadlocks and a “fat face.”
Meanwhile, the second suspect is described as a tall, thin Black male with dreadlocks who was wearing a blue face mask.
Surveillance cameras inside the building and CCTV footage from the surrounding area are continuously being reviewed, police noted, as detectives work to piece together what happened before and after the shooting.
Ebert also told reporters that he was not yet prepared to say whether a firearm had been recovered at the scene.
191 Main St. West is an apartment building managed by the CityHousing Hamilton Corporation, a municipally owned affordable housing provider. A supportive housing program for seniors and a youth transitional housing program are operating in the building.
Parkin’s death marks Hamilton’s third homicide of 2026.
“Talon’s family is mourning this heartbreaking loss, and we’re asking anyone with information to come forward,” Ebert noted.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Hamilton police.
With files from CP24’s Bryann Aguilar...
