HAMILTON — A 17-year-old boy is facing multiple charges in connection with a daytime shooting police describe as a tragic and brazen in Hamilton's downtown core that killed an innocent bystander in July, police said Wednesday.
Belinda Sarkodie, 26, was killed in on July 11 in Hamilton's downtown core. Sarkodie, who immigrated to Canada from Ghana in 2024, was going about her day after seeing a friend, police said.
Two people were targeted in the shooting, police said, one of whom was injured and brought to hospital.
Det. Sgt. John Obrovac told a news conference that the accused teen, who was riding a scooter during the shooting, turned himself in Tuesday and was charged with one count of second-degree murder and two counts of attempted murder.
Obrovac said investigators have still not determined a motive for the shooting, and the suspect had no connection to Sarkodie.
"We want to acknowledge the Sarkodie family. They have suffered an unimaginable loss, and our thoughts remain with them," Obrovac said.
Hamilton police Chief Frank Bergen said the shooting was another example in an alarming trend of youth violence in Ontario.
Bergen described the suspect as "a young punk" who felt "entitled enough to show up on a scooter and take the life of a 26-year-old girl."
"If the 12-year-old and the 14-year-olds and, in this case, the 17-year-old feels it's OK to bring out a gun in the afternoon amongst hundreds of people to settle a dispute or try to be tougher than the next person, then we've got a problem," he said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 19, 2025.
The Canadian Press