‘Unprovoked’ bar stabbing becomes Hamilton’s 10th homicide of the year

An “unprovoked” stabbing at a bar has become Hamilton’s 10^th homicide of the year as crime woes continue to plague the major Ontario city.

At roughly 1:45 a.m. on Sunday, police said they were called to Peddles Tavern, which is on Barton Street East near Kenilworth Avenue North, for reports of a stabbing.

When officers arrived on scene, they found a 34-year-old man suffering from stab wounds. He was taken to hospital where he later died. A 28-year-old man was arrested at the scene.

The victim was identified as Shah Ghafoori. St. Catharines’ resident Pierce Herod has been charged with second-degree murder.

In a news release Sunday, police said the investigators believe the two were not known to each other, and the “attack was unprovoked.”

Sunday’s homicide was Hamilton’s 10^th, and the fourth time in five years homicides have reached double-digit figures.

It was in 2022 when Hamilton logged just five homicides; last year, the city recorded 11 killings, and in 2021, Hamilton saw 20 slayings; in 2020, 18 homicides were recorded.

0:38 ‘Open air drug market’ operating in Ontario city shut down by police

Hamilton police have been trying to crack down on crime, most recently shutting down a tunnel system, drug shack and an open-air drug market.

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In July, the Tax Court of Canada shut down its downtown office to ensure the safety of visitors and staff, citing a rise in shootings near its location.

Greg Dunnett, president and CEO of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce, previously told Global News crime will hinder Hamilton’s ability to grow.

“This has been an ongoing issue that I believe that the lack of progress on it is starting to impact people’s decision making. … The people who are going to choose to leave are the people who can, and the businesses who can,” he said in July.

“We have these incredible opportunities in the pipeline for our downtown: we have the LRT, we have a new arena district, we are working towards having a thriving part of our community, but we need to address this issue to allow those opportunities to reach their potential.”

Anyone with information on Sunday’s homicide is asked to contact police at 905-546-3827, or Crime Stoppers anonymously 1-800-222-TIPS.