More than two thirds of shootings in city unsolved
A Spectator analysis reveals nearly 90 per cent of all shootings over the past five years have occurred in the former city of Hamilton
POLICE have not laid charges in 70 per cent of all shootings in the city in the past five years, including half of all homicides involving a gun.
A Hamilton Spectator analysis of the 108 shootings reveals there have been no charges in 75 cases. Police say a lack of co-operation from victims or witnesses — often due to a fear of retribution — is a common refrain and major factor in the outcome of their investigations.
Using figures provided by Hamilton police, The Spectator has mapped and analyzed all 108 shootings in the city over the past five years. Most — 92 — have taken place in the former city of Hamilton and almost half were in the lower, central part of the city, between Queen Street and Kenilworth Avenue.
Some locations have seen more than one shooting at the same spot, including East Avenue North and King Street East, where 34-year-old Michael Campbell of Brampton was gunned down this past August. Just 16 shootings since 2014 have happened in the communities of Stoney Creek, Ancaster, Flamborough or Glanbrook. There have been none in Dundas.
Supt. Ryan Diodati, who heads Hamilton police investigative services, said he cannot give any singular reason why the lower city is more a of magnet for shootings. But he did point out there is a higher concentration of people downtown, along with the entertainment district.
“But exactly why there are more shootings downtown, I can’t say,” he said.
Within the police service they are constantly analyzing crime data and
deploy officers in higher crime areas. That is part of the purpose of the ACTION team.
“We certainly do keep a close eye and look for trends,” Diodati said.
Just over half of all shootings in the city since 2014 have not involved injuries, with people suffering non-fatal injuries in 39 per cent of cases, and being killed in 18 per cent of shootings.
Police maintain that most of the shootings are targeted and tied to the illegal drug trade, so special enforcement projects often look to tackle illegal guns and drugs together. Diodati said it’s the illegal sale of heroin and other opiates most often tied to shootings.
He wouldn’t speak about any ongoing projects, but pointed to some past ones police felt were successful. This includes the summer 2017 Project Phoenix that saw 44 warrants executed across the city, where officers seized $1.2 million in illegal drugs and two handguns, three shotguns and two rifles.
Diodati said anonymous Crime Stoppers tips have also been leading to an increased number of guns seized, including 13 firearms seized in 2017 and 32 so far this year.
Hamilton police also work closely with the provincial weapons enforcement unit and neighbouring police services.
When asked about the lack of witness co-operation, Diodati said police often find people are afraid of repercussions if they talk.
But police need co-operation from the public to help solve crimes.
Surveillance footage is increasingly a key piece of evidence in many crimes and shootings, including in high profile shooting homicides such as the May 2, 2017 murder of mobster Angelo Musitano where detectives used surveillance to identify the alleged shooter and two accomplices, and also tie them to a second organized-crime murder.
“CCTV cameras are a valuable asset that assist our investigators greatly ... sometimes it’s that piece that allows investigators to pull on that thread,” Diodati said, adding that Hamilton police now devote a lot of staffing hours to gathering and examining surveillance video.
In past years, an increase in shootings and gun crimes was in part tied to increased home invasion robberies . In 2017 there was a high of 41 shootings. That number is down this year, with 22 shootings so far in 2018.
It is often impossible to say exactly why shootings may go up one year and down the next. Criminologists often say you need to look at 10 years of data to see any actual trends. But so far this year, it appears there are fewer home invasions.
“Reported home invasions do seem to be down,” Diodati said.
To view the detailed shootings in Hamilton map, including analysis, visit www.thespec.com
The police service is constantly analyzing crime data to deploy officers in higher crime areas. That is part of the purpose of the ACTION team. Crime Stoppers tips have also been leading to an increased number of guns seized, including 13 firearms seized in 2017 and 32 so far this year.