Spike in shootings ‘not acceptable’: police
Hamilton police form task force to address escalating gunplay
HAMILTON — Hamilton Police Service is creating a task force to tackle a spike in gun violence and drug trafficking in the city.
Moreover, police are urging reluctant witnesses and victims alike to come forward with information to solve the crimes.
The urgency is foremost on the mind of Supt. Ryan Diodati, who worries bystanders will get caught in the crossfire with inexpert handlers pulling triggers on city streets.
“It’s concerning. Not only as a police officer, but as a citizen as well. Gun violence is not acceptable. One shooting is one too many for our community.”
Last year, there were 25 shootings, down from a high of 41 in 2017. But the eight so far in 2019 represent a spike from three during the same period last year.
“Before we see this number continuing to repeat itself month after month, we’re putting this task force together,” Diodati said.
It will consist of the HEAT unit (high enforcement action team) working with central, east and Mountain divisional patrols. The gangs and weapons enforcement unit, divisional analysts and the intelligence branch will also be involved.
In an email Tuesday, Hamilton Mayor Fred Eisenberger said “thoughts are first and foremost with the victims of gun violence and their families.
“It is very dismaying whenever gun violence occurs in our community. We are proposing to hire 25 additional police officers in 2019, which will mean increased police presence and increased safety in our community.”
Police say most of this year’s shootings have been “targeted.” Here’s a synopsis of each one:
• Jan. 2 — Barton Street East and Avondale Street: a gun was fired at the door of an apartment at 910 Barton St. E. Nobody was injured.
• Jan. 14 — Brunswick Street and Melvin Avenue: Police find bullet holes in an SUV and shell casings. There were no injuries.
• Jan. 30 — Mountain Brow Boulevard and Rendell Boulevard: Cece Luppino, son of a Hamilton mobster, is gunned down at his Mountain home.
• Feb. 3 — Leeming Street and Wright Avenue: Police were called after shots were fired, striking a window of a home. Nobody was injured.
• Feb. 5 — Roxborough Avenue and Beland Avenue North: A man is his 20s was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after he was shot just after midnight.
• Feb. 5 — Gage Avenue North and Cannon Street East: In the second shooting of the day, two men were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
• Feb. 9 — Cutts Crescent and Pumpkin Pass: Bullets were fired into a Binbrook home on Saturday in what police called a “targeted” shooting. There were no injuries.
• Feb. 10 — Stone Church Road East and Upper Wellington Street: Police find a bullet hole in the side of a Mountain home at 9:30 a.m. The complainant said a loud bang was heard between 1 and 2 a.m. Nobody was hurt.
Diodati said it’s too early to say whether any of the shootings are connected, or to discount the involvement of gangs. He noted the correlation between the drug trade and shootings in general.
“I think the biggest change in the market is the prevalence of fentanyl and other opiate-based drugs. We saw a similar spike with the advent of crack cocaine.”
Fentanyl — a hospital painkiller that’s available in bootleg form on the street — is a particularly powerful opiate fuelling an overdose epidemic in Hamilton and across North America.
“It’s profitable for drug dealers. It all comes down to supply and demand,” Diodati said.
In general, police say victims of Hamilton’s shootings and witnesses alike have been uncooperative when it comes to providing information.
Diodati says he understands the “trepidation” in talking to police, noting fear of retribution or being a “rat,” in street parlance.
The victims themselves can be involved in criminal activity, which can make them reluctant to speak with police, he added.
Cracking down on gun crime isn’t just a police responsibility; it requires a coalescence of community services, Diodati emphasized.
“We need to be engaging our youth at a young age,” he said, adding, “There is a socioeconomic piece that needs to be looked at.”
Ruth Greenspan, executive director of the local John Howard Society, pointed to poverty, addiction and joblessness as underlying factors.
“People have no hope, no housing, and I think the gun violence is just a symptom of the problems going on in society.”
The way to tackle gun crime is through preventive measures, such as improving access to jobs, education and housing, she said.
Those who wish to contact police with information about shootings in Hamilton can call Det. Sgt. Jason Cattle at 905-5463887.
Diodati also urges people to use Crime Stoppers, an option for anyone who wishes to remain anonymous. Call 1-800-222-8477 or visit www.crimestoppers hamilton.com.