Hamilton police have identified nabil askafe as the 16-year-old killed in the Jackson Square shooting on Friday evening in downtown Hamilton. Officers said the family of nabil askafe had recently immigrated to Hamilton from Syria. The search continued Saturday morning for a 14-year-old suspect wanted for second-degree murder in connection with the deadly incident.
What happened at Jackson Square
Emergency services were called to Jackson Square at about 5: 10 p. m. Friday for reports of shots fired inside the mall. Police said officers found a 16-year-old male with gunshot wounds and he was later pronounced dead at hospital.
Det. Sgt. Rob Di Ianni said investigators believe the incident began with a “small interaction” in the area of King and Hess streets, before it turned into an altercation that continued about 500 metres down King Street and ended at Jackson Square. He said the shooting happened at a mall entrance next to the Himalayan Bar and Grill, where the suspect fired multiple rounds at Askafe, who was unarmed.
Di Ianni said Askafe then walked about 100 metres inside the mall before collapsing inside Wireless+, a cellphone repair shop. Police said the mall had reopened by Saturday morning, while three cruisers remained outside the building and traffic on King Street was rerouted during the investigation.
Police continue the search for a teen suspect
Hamilton police said the suspect wanted in the case is 14 years old and is now wanted for second-degree murder. Investigators are still searching for him and have urged him to turn himself in. Police are also seeking a legal order that would allow them to publicly release his name and photo.
Supt. Marty Schulenberg said the investigation remains active and officers are still working to determine whether the suspects have left the area. He said the mall was evacuated in an orderly fashion, but stressed that the scene was still traumatic for people who were inside or nearby when the gunfire erupted.
Schulenberg said police believe the shooting was targeted and linked to the altercation that began before the gunfire. He described the case as “a brazen shooting” inside a mall and said officers were concerned because Jackson Square was busy at the time.
Immediate reaction from city leaders
Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath called the shooting “a horrifying act of violence” and said it must end. She said it is devastating to learn of the death of a 16-year-old in the Jackson Square shooting and added that “guns have no place on our streets. Period. ”
Hamilton Centre MP Aslam Rana also said the shooting was “completely unacceptable. ”
The case has left the city focused on one urgent question: where the armed suspects went after the shooting and whether police can bring the teen suspect into custody. For now, the investigation into nabil askafe’s killing remains active, and officers say the search will continue until there is a clearer answer.
