Hamilton man wanted in sports bar shooting

A Hamilton man wanted for attempted murder following a Sunday shooting at an Upper Gage Avenue sports bar is armed and on the loose, police say.

Hamilton police say the attack, which happened in the early-morning hours at Cooler's Sports Bar near the intersection of Upper Gage and Fennell Avenue East, left one man in hospital with a gunshot wound to his torso.

Carl Douglas Richard, 36, is wanted for attempted murder, assault with a weapon and discharging a firearm.

Police consider Richard - who is reported to be about six-feet tall, and weighs around 190 pounds with light brown hair and a thin beard - to be armed and dangerous. Police are asking the public not to approach him and call 911 if he's spotted.

Const. Krista-Lee Ernst said the shooting happened inside the bar. The victim, a 40-year-old man who knows the person who shot him, was targeted by his assailant, Ernst said.

He sustained non-life-threatening injuries and remains in hospital in stable condition.

Anyone with information about the shooting is being asked by Hamilton police to call Acting Det. Jared Millington at 905-546-8966 or Acting Det. Sgt. Mike Hall at 905-546-3851.

Anonymous tips can also be made through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at CrimeStoppersHamilton.com.

Grant LaFleche is a St. Catharines-based investigative reporter with The Spectator. Reach him via email: glafleche@torstar.ca