Home shot up in Stoney Creek, marks 2 similar shootings in 48 hours
There have already been 14 shootings in Hamilton this year
A family in upper Stoney Creek woke up Monday morning to find their home riddled with bullet holes — the second home shot up in Hamilton in just under 48 hours.
The two weekend incidents make 14 shooting incidents in the city already in 2019.
"We're not happy with that," said Const. Jerome Stewart of Hamilton police.
"That number is unacceptable."
The latest incident happened early Monday morning.
According to a police news release, a family living on Glenhollow Drive near Winterberry Drive and Mud Street West woke up around 7 a.m. to find a second-storey window broken and a bullet lodged in inside the interior drywall of the home.
Police say there was evidence of "approximately" four bullet holes on the outside of the home. No one was injured.
Investigators spoke with residents in the area, who reported hearing gunshots ring out sometime between 2 a.m. and 3 a.m.
"At this point in the investigation, it is too early to determine the motive for the shooting," a police news release reads.
Const. Lorraine Edwards told CBC News the occupants of the home are not previously known to police, and it's "fair to say" they were shocked by the whole ordeal.
That incident came just 48 hours after another house in east Hamilton was shot at — this time, in broad daylight.
It happened just after 11:40 a.m., police say. That's when officers got reports of multiple shots being fired into a townhouse complex at 2 Oriole Crescent.
Several people were inside at the time, but police say nobody was injured.
No one answered the door there Monday morning when a reporter knocked, but evidence of the shooting was still readily apparent.
Bullet holes and police markers could be seen on the windows, brick façade and front door of one of the units.
It was also clear that many kids live and play in that neighbourhood. Bikes and scooters were left near front doors — including the front door of the home that was shot at.
Nearby Parkdale Elementary School is just a ten-minute walk away.
Patrick Mitic lives in a nearby townhouse. He and his family are worried about the violence, he says — especially considering there was another shooting in the area just last summer, he said.
"We have a little kid," he told CBC News.
"Nobody is here … the police don't seem to care."
Stewart said police "recognize the impact this has on the community."
"One shooting is too many," he said, noting that there have been more shootings this year than around the same time last year.
In response to that jump, police say they have created a task force to take on gun violence and drug trafficking.
Police previously said the task force would be made up of 16 officers from all three police divisions, including members of the guns and gangs and heat units, who will work with police analysts and intelligence officials.
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