Woman shot dead in downtown Hamilton an 'innocent bystander': Cops

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Investigators believe a woman shot dead on a downtown Hamilton street Friday afternoon was an “innocent bystander” who was simply going about her day.

Hamilton Police say they received multiple 911 calls for a shooting at approximately 5:25 p.m. at the corner of King St. E. and James St. N.

Officers arrived to the chaotic and distressing scene near Jackson Square Mall and found a man who was shot. He was transported to hospital where he received treatment for non-life-threatening injuries.

Further down King St., police said a female victim was found with a gunshot wound.

Despite life-saving efforts from officers, police said she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators identified the victim as 26-year-old Belinda Sarkodie.

Police said the shooter fled the scene immediately following the deadly shooting.

The suspect is described as a white male with a medium build and brown hair. Investigators said he was wearing a black T-shirt with a white design on the front and a large red letter “V” on the back, blue shorts, dark socks, dark shoes, and a dark, medical-style mask.

“We believe the suspect may have known the male victim and targeted him, although a motive has not yet been determined,” Det.-Sgt. John Obrovac said at a news conference Saturday afternoon.

“There is no information to suggest that the suspect and Belinda Sarkodie are known to each other or that she was targeted.”

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Obrovac said Sarkodie was an “innocent bystander simply going about her day” who was spending time with a friend in the downtown core.

Police said Sarkodie immigrated to Canada from Ghana last year and was living and working in Hamilton. Her brother lives in Manitoba and police have notified her family in Ghana.

A video shared to Facebook shows a distraught woman wailing near the crime scene.

“Belinda was just 26 years old,” a Ghanaian woman who witnessed the incident told Ghana Web. “She came to Canada for school. Today is my off day. I was going to shop, and she was also going to shop when she met her untimely death.”

This fatal shooting is the second time in less than three months that an innocent young woman was gunned down by a stray bullet while waiting at a bus stop.

Harsimrat Randhawa, a 21-year-old woman from India who was studying at Mohawk College, was shot dead while waiting for a bus at Upper James St. and South Bend Rd. on April 17.

Police said gunfire was exchanged between the occupants of a white Hyundai Elantra and black Mercedes SUV – and Randhawa was killed by a stray bullet.

Police said the male victim in Friday’s double shooting has spoken to investigators but was unable to identify the killer.

Obrovac said investigators are busy reviewing security camera footage from the area.

“We are using every available resource to try to identify and locate the person involved, the suspect, and solve this obviously tragic crime,” Obrovac said.

Police are asking anyone with information, video footage, or who may have witnessed the shooting to call Homicide Det. Michael Ebert at 905-546-4167 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).