Belinda Sarkodie was on her way home after spending time with her friend in downtown Hamilton when she was shot and killed on Friday afternoon, Hamilton police said.
“Based on the information we have so far, it appears Belinda was an innocent bystander simply going about her day,” Det. Sgt. John Obrovac said during a news conference on Saturday afternoon.
The shooting occurred at the corner of King Street East and James Street North shortly before 5:30 p.m.
Hamilton shooting Police are on the scene of a fatal shooting in downtown Hamilton on Friday, July 11, 2025. (Jacob Estrin/ CTV News)
When officers arrived, they found a male victim with a non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Obrovac said the 26-year-old Sarkodie was located further down King Street East suffering from a gunshot wound.
She was pronounced dead at the scene. The male victim was taken to the hospital.
Obrovac said the suspect, who fled the scene on foot, is described as a white male with a medium build and brown hair and was last seen wearing a black T-shirt with a white design on the front and a letter “V” on the back, blue shorts, dark socks, dark shoes, and a dark-coloured medical-style mask.
Investigators believe the male victim was the intended target, as the suspect may have known him, Obrovac said, adding that the motive is still unknown.
“There is no information to suggest that the suspect and Belinda Sarkodie were known to each other or that she was targeted,” the detective said.
Sarkodie moved to Canada from Ghana just last year. She was living and working in Hamilton.
“At the time of the incident, she was spending time with a friend in the downtown core,” Obrovac said. He noted that she has a brother in Manitoba.