Police continue search for 4 suspects
Barber is city’s fourth homicide of 2016
A 40-year-old proprietor of an Upper Wellington Street barbershop is Hamilton’s fourth homicide of 2016.
Hamilton police revealed Friday that Neil Harris, the owner of Influence Barber Shop at 600 Upper Wellington St., was shot and killed Thursday afternoon outside the shop.
Acting Det.-Sgt. Peter Thom spent most of Friday morning on the scene of the small barbershop between Brucedale and Queenston avenues. Forensic officers spent hours inside the shop, which Thom confirmed is the focal point of the ongoing police investigation.
Police have not recovered a firearm but are searching for four men seen running from the area. Thom said the four men entered the barbershop before the shooting and were seen leaving just prior to the shooting outside the shop. Police believe they have video images of the suspects.
Thom said at least one weapon was fired, but he would not say how many or what kind of firearms were involved.
Police know how many times the victim was shot but wouldn’t disclose a number. They said the victim was shot at least once in the upper torso.
Witnesses saw the victim lying on the ground.
“My sister came in and said ‘There is a guy lying on the ground with all this blood coming out of his chest. I think he is dead,’” said an owner of a nearby business, who did not want to be identified with the perpetrators at large.
“My sister said, ‘I think he has been shot.’ He looked completely lifeless.
“I looked out and called 911. There were about three or four people pumping his chest.”
Thom said the business, which still has the name Quirky Crocodile Art and Gifts on the storefront, has been operating as a barbershop for the past four to six months.
Sean Gibson, an Ontario Barber Association executive member, said two Upper Wellington Street barbers had been working together since 2013 and previously operated a shop on King Street East in the core. Neither were OBA members. Upper Wellington retail neighbours said the operation appeared “sketchy” to them, with visits from well-dressed clientele quickly entering and leaving at various times, apparently without receiving hair cuts.
“Limousines and BMWs would show up. People would go in for two minutes and come out. I would say it was sketchy just for the reason people would go in and not come out with a haircut,” said a nearby business operator.
“There was a lot of nicely dressed people going in.”
“The weekends were also way more busy with people going in and out,” she said.
Daisy Bassett, who operates a nearby dog clipping service, also said the barbershop seemed suspicious.
“Just a lot of people in and out,” Bassett said.
A coach with an adjacent Passion Fitness gymnastics/dance centre, who also asked not to be identified because of fear of reprisals, said they had “a lot of issues with the barber shop.
“I know they have been open at strange hours. I don’t know what they do,” she said.
She said one eight-year-old child was inside at the time of the shooting.
Thom would not rule out the shooting was drug-related.
“We keep an open mind on all investigations and we’ll look at all possible angles,” he said.
But Thom said Harris was not known to police. And he would not say whether the business was targeted. Nor would he comment on a possible motive for the attack that shocked the neighbourhood.
“Until we know what occurred here, we won’t know if it was a targeted event or the victim was caught in the crossfire so to speak.”
Still, Thom said, there is no threat to the general public.
Thom said police are getting good co-operation from retailers in this commercial/residential part of the central Mountain.
Police are asking anyone who may have witnessed the incident who has yet to speak to them to call Det. Jon Murphy at 905-546-2288. Anyone who wishes to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit tips and information online at crimestoppershamilton.com.
We keep an open mind on all investigations and we’ll look at all possible angles.
ACTING DET.-SGT. PETER THOM
HAMILTON POLICE INVESTIGATOR