Ali Ghorbani identified as victim in east Mountain shooting

Hamilton police have identified the man killed in a shooting inside a crowded east Mountain bar early Sunday.

Ali Ghorbani, 25, of Hamilton was killed in the shooting at Raoabe Restaurant, a halal eatery and lounge in an Upper Ottawa Street strip plaza.

Ghorbani's family is requesting privacy at this time, police said in a news release late Monday morning.

Emergency services were called to the bar, near Stone Church Road, around 2:30 a.m. Nov. 14.

Inside, police found Ghorbani suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was pronounced dead in hospital.

At the time of the shooting, there were a large number of people in the bar. Two suspects, only described as men wearing dark clothing, were seen fleeing, according to police.

That same plaza, which holds 18 businesses, was the site of another shooting on Sept. 5 that left one man with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries.

Ghorbani was known to police, including for gun and violent crimes.

A year ago, police issued a public appeal to find the then 24-year-old, who was wanted on several violent crime and firearms charges.

This incident marks the 16th homicide in Hamilton this year. There have been 30 shootings, including seven deaths.

The homicide is among a string of shootings on the Mountain, including another just hours later early Monday morning.

Anyone with information on the homicide is asked to call Det. David Brewster at 905-546-4067.

To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestoppershamilton.com.

Nicole O'Reilly is a Hamilton-based reporter covering crime and justice for The Spectator. Reach her via email: noreilly@thespec.com