Canada- Belinda Sarkodie, 26, student from Ghana, innocent bystander, fatally shot, Hamilton, Ont; 11 July, 2025,*LE hunt suspect, Mackale Lavoie, 17*

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‘Innocent bystander’: Hamilton police identify woman killed in downtown shooting

Police have identified the 26-year-old woman fatally shot in downtown Hamilton on Friday and say she was an "innocent bystander."

www.cp24.com

''The shooting occurred at the corner of King Street East and James Street North, outside Jackson Square mall, shortly before 5:30 p.m.

Obrovac said officers encountered a “chaotic” scene when they arrived.

They first found a male victim with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Obrovac said the 26-year-old Sarkodie was located further down King Street East, suffering from a gunshot wound.

She was pronounced dead at the scene, while the male victim was taken to hospital.

Obrovac said the suspect, who fled the scene on foot, is described as a white male with a medium build and brown hair and was last seen wearing a black T-shirt with a white design on the front and a letter “V” on the back, blue shorts, dark socks, dark shoes, and a dark-coloured medical-style mask.''

 

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Police identify teen they believe is responsible for double shooting that killed an innocent bystander in Hamilton

Police have identified a 17-year-old boy they believe may be responsible for a double shooting in Hamilton that killed an innocent bystander over the weekend.

www.cp24.com

''Investigators say a male suspect, identified by them as <WS redacted name/age of minor>, met three individuals in the downtown core, whom they say “appear to have been the intended targets.”

 

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By Codi Wilson: November 19, 2025 rbbm

Hamilton police to provide update on fatal shooting of innocent bystander

Police will be providing an update this morning on the shooting death of an innocent bystander who was killed in downtown Hamilton back in July.

www.cp24.com

Police previously said Belinda Sarkodie had been spending time with a friend downtown when was she was struck by gunfire near King St. East and James St. North,

'Police will be providing an update this morning on the shooting death of an innocent bystander who was killed in downtown Hamilton back in July.''

''Police later identified a 17-year-old, who cannot be named, as a suspect in the case but to date, no arrests have been made in the case.

The news conference is scheduled to begin at 11 a.m.''

 

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Suspect faces second-degree murder charge in fatal daylight shooting of innocent bystander in Hamilton

A 17-year-old suspect wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of an innocent bystander in Hamilton last summer in now in custody, police announced Wednesday.

www.ctvnews.ca

''A 17-year-old suspect wanted in connection with the fatal shooting of an innocent bystander in Hamilton last summer in 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.''

“To think of July 11th in arguable 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.''