A routine bus journey ended in tragedy on Friday July 11 night when 26-year-old Ghanaian student Belinda Sarkodie was fatally struck by a bullet during a shoot-out on King Street, police and eyewitnesses have confirmed.
What happened?
Time & location: About 19:45 local time (23:45 GMT) at a covered bus shelter opposite Hamilton’s Central Market.
Sequence: CCTV reviewed by investigators shows a black saloon screeching to a halt, followed by an exchange of shots with occupants of a parked SUV. None of those vehicles remained at the scene. Belinda, who was adjusting her scarf in the shelter’s glass panel—effectively caught in the cross-fire—collapsed after a single round pierced the plexiglass.
Casualties: Two additional victims—a 34-year-old man (dead) and a 21-year-old woman (critical but stable). No arrests so far.
Who was Belinda?
A first-year health-sciences student at Mohawk College, Belinda arrived from Accra in August 2024 under the Canadian Study Permit stream. House-mates recall her working evening shifts at a downtown café to fund tuition. “She always sent part of every pay cheque home,” said close friend Ama Duah.
Diplomatic & community response
Ghana’s High Commission has requested full police reports and pledged support to repatriate the body.
Hamilton Police Service has opened a tip-line and is canvassing local businesses for security-camera footage.
Ghanaian-Canadian Association of Ontario will hold a candle-light vigil on Sunday at the scene.
Rising gun violence spotlight
Hamilton has seen a 27 % jump in firearm-related incidents in the past year, mirroring trends in other mid-sized Canadian cities. In April, Indian student Harsimrat Randhawa was killed in a comparable stray-bullet incident barely two blocks away.
What happens next?
Investigators are analysing ballistics to match shell casings with known gang weapons. Meanwhile, the Ghanaian diaspora is calling for tougher bail conditions for gun offences and enhanced after hours policing around transit hubs.
“Belinda’s dream was to become a paediatric nurse; that dream has been stolen,” – Pastor Kwame Nartey, Ghanaian Community Church, Hamilton.
Police appeal: Anyone with dashboard or CCTV footage from the King Street–Queen Street corridor between 19:30 and 20:00 EDT on 11 July is urged to contact Hamilton Police Major Crime Unit on +1 905 546 4123.
