'Innocent Bystander': Ghanaian woman shot dead in Canada while visiting friend in broad daylight
A 26-year-old Ghanaian woman, Belinda Sarkodie, has been identified as the innocent bystander killed in a brazen daylight shooting in downtown Hamilton, Canada, on Friday, July 11, 2025.
According to the Hamilton Police Service, Sarkodie, who recently migrated from Ghana to Canada in 2024, was fatally shot while spending time with a friend near the busy intersection of King Street East and James Street North.
Police said they received multiple 911 calls about gunfire around 5:30 p.m. and arrived at what they described as a “chaotic and distressing” scene.
A white male victim suffering from a gunshot wound was found and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Sarkodie was later found further west along King Street with a critical gunshot wound. Despite life-saving efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
“Belinda was an innocent bystander, simply going about her day,” said Detective Sergeant John Obrovac during a press conference on Saturday (July 12, 2025). “At the time of the incident, she was spending time with a friend in the downtown core.”
Authorities believe the male victim may have been the intended target of the attack. “At this time, we believe the suspect may have known the male victim and targeted him, although the motive has not yet been determined,” Obrovac explained. “There is no information to suggest that the suspect and Belinda Sarkodie were known to each other, or that she was targeted.”
Sarkodie had been living and working in the Hamilton area since arriving in Canada. Her brother, who resides in Manitoba, is currently her only known immediate family member in the country. Police have confirmed that her next-of-kin in Ghana have been informed of her tragic death.
The suspect, still at large, has been described as a white male with a medium build and brown hair. He was last seen wearing a black t-shirt with a white design on the front and a large ‘V’ on the back, dark socks, dark shoes, and a black medical-style face mask.
Hamilton Police are reviewing surveillance footage from the nearby Jackson Square shopping mall and other sources as part of ongoing investigations.
“Hamilton Police are working diligently to identify and apprehend the person responsible for this senseless act of violence,” the department said in a statement. “We are committed to using every available resource to bring justice to Belinda and her loved ones.”
The Ghanaian community in Canada and back home have expressed shock and sorrow over the incident, with tributes pouring in on social media for a young woman described as “kind-hearted” and “hard-working.”
Police have urged anyone with information or video footage that may assist the investigation to come forward.
