'It's getting a little bit much': Police seek leads on Wentworth gunfight

Hamilton Police are knocking on doors and pleading with neighbourhood residents to contact them or Crimestoppers with information after a daytime shooting Saturday afternoon near Wentworth Street South and Rutherford Avenue.

Speaking with CHML's Bill Kelly about the incident and investigation on Monday, Const. Stephen Welton said he's tired of talking about violence in Hamilton, especially another daytime gunfight after one in May. 

"You can hear it in my voice as I continue to come on here," he said. "It's getting a little bit much." 

Police are looking for three suspects following the Saturday shooting. 

Police say multiple witnesses called police at approximately 3:30 p.m. with reports of gunshots near the base of the Sherman access.

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A 19-year-old man was found at the scene, the victim of an attempted robbery. Police said three men in their late teens to early 20s exited a light-coloured, four-door sedan and approached the man.

"As the men approached it was indicated that they made demands for property before one of the men pointed a firearm and another displayed a knife," police said in a media release issued Sunday.

"This caused the victim to run away but not before one of the suspects began shooting at him with the firearm and another chasing him while armed with the knife."

'Probably they know each other'

The 19-year-old was not injured or hit by any bullets, but police said the robbery was "not a random incident."

"There's indication now that probably they... know each other," Welton said Monday. "But again, we're trying to remain open and follow the evidence as well as what these individuals are saying."

In light of a series of shooting incidents in downtown Hamilton — including daytime shootings in the North End and gun fights that have been caught on dash camera — Chief Glenn De Caire issued a statement saying "Hamilton Police Service takes these crimes involving gun violence in the community serious."

"The challenge we face as the community sees this happening, is — We want to solve this quickly," Welton said. "But the community needs to know that it does take time but we are committed to it. That's the frustrating part. We need people to come forward."

'If someone were to be hit by a stray bullet'

Mayor Fred Eisenberger asked again Monday for any ways the city can make its laws tighter about gun ownership and use, following a city report suggesting that a city measure to ban guns entirely would tread on provincial and federal jurisdiction. 

"I think we'd have a different attitude and different approach if someone were to be hit by a stray bullet, which is a likelihood if this kind of gun play continues," he said at the city's general issues committee meeting. "Hopefully we're doing everything we can to ensure our bylaws are strict enough to ensure we can prevent this kind of thing from happening."

City legal staff will return with a report on how to tighten up the city's gun-related bylaws.