Hamilton police say the man accused of killing another man outside a billiards club on York Boulevard over the weekend has fled the country.
Homicide Investigators say they have learned that Ibrahim Issak-Hussen, 26, of Hamilton took a flight from Toronto to Ethiopia on Sunday morning, less than 36 hours after police allege he shot and killed 29-year-old Obsa Junedi-Mohamed outside Boulevard Billiards.
Police say the Canadian Border Services Agency have confirmed Issak-Hussen boarded a plane at Pearson airport on Sunday and departed Canada. Hussen was not a suspect at the time he left Canada.
Hamilton police say they are now engaging in an international manhunt to locate Issak-Hussen.
Investigators say officers were called to Boulevard Billiards on Saturday morning around 1:30 a.m. after a report of a shooting in the area of Queen Street and York Avenue.
When they arrived, they found a man suffering from a gunshot wound on the sidewalk.
The man was pronounced dead at the scene, and police later identified him as Obsa Junedi-Mohamed of Hamilton.
Detective Sergeant Peter Thom said Junedi-Mohamed was shot in the head at “point-blank range”.
There were about 20 people inside the club at the time of the shooting. Thom said investigators reviewed surveillance footage and identified a suspect.
Thom said the suspect and the victim knew each other and had been interacting for about half an hour before Junedi-Mohamed was shot.
“Video footage shows they had some kind of minor physical altercation about 10 minutes before the shooting occurred,” said Thom. “It’s unknown what the argument was about.”
He confirmed that both of them were known to police.
Investigators say a suspect sedan allegedly used as the ‘get-a-way’ car was recovered on Boston Crescent on the east mountain on Wednesday afternoon and a warrant was issued to search for evidence pertaining to the murder.
Detectives are actively searching for another man who may go by the street name ‘Smallz’, who’s believed to have also fled in that vehicle right after the murder.
Investigators say they are also looking for a friend of the victim, allegedly going by the street name of ‘Koby’, who was allegedly present at the billiard hall when Junedi-Mohamed was killed. Police also want to identify and interview him.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Rich Wouters of the major crime unit by calling 905-546-4921 or anonymously contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or submit an anonymous tip online.