Video shows brazen shooting outside central Hamilton restaurant
Patrons of a central Hamilton bar frantically ran for cover Wednesday as a brazen shooting unfolded just steps away from them, Hamilton police say.
Det. Sgt. Jason Cattle of the major crime unit called the shooting in the parking lot of Allure Lounge, a Caribbean restaurant on the corner of Barton Street East and Oak Avenue, unacceptable" in a news conference Friday.
Many patrons were seen running from the bar, running for cover. People on the sidewalk running for cover. It's unacceptable," Cattle told reporters.
Police have released surveillance footage that chronicles the roughly 25-second shooting that is believed to be targeted.
It shows a black, four-door sedan slowly roll up near the side patio of Allure shortly after 5 p.m. A slim man, masked and wearing dark clothes, hops out and jogs around to the parking lot where a BMW is parked with its driver's door flung open.
In the video, he appears to fire several shots, holding the gun with just his right hand, before going back in the car and driving south toward Barton.
The victim in the BMW - who also can be seen firing several bullets through his windshield in the direction of the fleeing vehicle - was taken to hospital with serious, life-threatening injuries. He is now in stable condition.
Police have charged the 23-year-old victim, Donovan Hines, with multiple firearm-related offences, including careless use of a firearm and discharging a firearm with intent and recklessness. The Hamilton man was known to police.
Although it is unique to charge the victim, in this case our evidence shows that the two people were shooting at each other in broad daylight," Cattle said.
Cattle said police don't know the motive for the shooting. We know it's targeted and believe it's over something," he said. We just haven't been told why."
Police have yet to recover the rounds shot from the person in the BMW. This initially left investigators very concerned" innocent bystanders may have been caught in the crossfire, Cattle said.
We had to have detectives actually search buildings across the street, knocking on doors, to make sure no one was hit in those buildings and apartments. We're very concerned for that. It's unacceptable behaviour," he said. No one else has been hit, thankfully."
Nicola Viau lives just down the block on Oak. She was gardening in her front yard when shots started to ring out.
The (suspect) must've driven past me at least once while I was outside," she said, adding the incident has left the neighbourhood startled.
It's unsettling. There's very young children on the street. It's mostly elderly people and young families here."
Police are now actively on the hunt for a suspect and a suspect vehicle. The vehicle is described as a black, four-door Pontiac G5 - a 2007 or 2008 model - with no tint in its windows.
The suspect is described as a Black male between five-foot-ten and six-foot-five. Police said he donned a surgical mask along with black pants and a black hooded sweater with logos or writing on the front.
Cattle said police believe people know about" the shooting.
We know that people know about this. We know that people have information about who did it or why it was done. If you're fearful for any reason ... contact Crime Stoppers (anonymously) and point us in the right direction."
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Lisa Chambers of the major crime unit at 905-546-3834 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestoppershamilton.com.
Sebastian Bron is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sbron@thespec.com