Couple shot dead in ‘landlord-tenant dispute’
Suspect killed during an exchange of gunfire with a police officer
Hamilton police are investigating after two people were shot and killed in Stoney Creek on Saturday evening in what investigators are describing as a “landlord-tenant dispute.”
Speaking to reporters Sunday morning, Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk said officers responded to reports of a shooting at 322 Jones Rd., just north of Barton Street at around 5:40 p.m. Saturday.
Bereziuk said officers arriving at the scene found two people fatally shot outside of the two-storey residence, nestled between Barton and Cornell Avenue.
Witnesses told police that the victims were seen “fleeing the house” before they were killed outside of the residence, said Bereziuk. First responders were able to check on the victims, who were pronounced dead immediately, he noted.
Bereziuk said the two victims in the shooting, a 27-year-old woman and a 28-year-old man, were tenants of a basement apartment in the home. The suspect in the homicide, a 57-year-old man, was their landlord and lived upstairs.
Officers then learned that the suspect had barricaded himself inside the home.
Bereziuk said the man had several firearms registered to him at that address. Those weapons included handguns as well as long guns such as rifles. Bereziuk would not comment on the amount of ammunition found in the home.
The Emergency Response Unit was deployed to the scene, a large area surrounding the residence was cordoned off and negotiations with the man began.
Bereziuk said the home, located on a corner lot, offered a “large line of sight.”
“Officers had to be very careful with where it was that they were going to stand,” he added.
Early Saturday evening, officers at the large scene — spanning Jones Road in the east and Kenmore Avenue in the west between Barton
Street and Arvin Avenue — could be seen crouching behind vehicles with firearms drawn. Bereziuk said police spent “considerable time” on the phone with the man “in attempts to negotiate a peaceful resolution.”
In a media release, police said the man shot at police from the home. The window of a black SUV and an adjacent business were both shot out. Police could not comment on how many shots were fired by the suspect.
Bereziuk said there was an “interaction” between officers and the suspect after which he was pronounced dead.
“Our negotiators certainly did the best they could to negotiate a peaceful resolution here,” he added, noting that the suspect was not known to police.
In a statement Sunday, the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) — which had invoked its mandate to investigate — said that around 10 p.m. Saturday, there was an exchange of gunfire between the man and a police officer. The man was struck by police gunfire and died at the scene, according to the police watchdog.
The SIU investigates incidents involving police in Ontario where someone dies, is seriously hurt or there is an allegation of sexual assault.
Police are describing the incident that led to the shootings as a “landlord-tenant dispute.”
“The early indication on that is that it sounds like there was some type of dispute regarding the state of the home,” said Bereziuk. “It wasn’t over a ... missed rental payment.”
Investigators will not be releasing the names of the victims at this time, added Bereziuk.
“We’ve notified the families and we’ve been in contact with them,” he said. “They are extremely upset as you can well imagine.”
Just before 8:30 p.m. Saturday night — while the standoff was ongoing — a man in a black pickup truck sped toward the scene, stopping just before the police tape. He ran toward the police tape, visibly emotional, alleging a man had shot his family member.
Officers held the man back; he left in his truck not long afterwards.
Bereziuk said the female victim was an educational assistant for a Catholic school board in Brant County and the male victim was an electrician in Hamilton.
The couple were engaged to be married and both were from Hamilton.
“They’re truly innocent victims, hard-working people,” he said, noting that neither was known to police. “This is a very tragic incident.”
Bereziuk said no other suspects are being sought in connection to the homicides.
Neighbour Sandra Chaisson told The Spectator that she and her husband had just finished eating dinner Saturday evening when their street was suddenly flooded with emergency responders.
Chaisson did not hear the initial shooting, but she soon saw police with large guns outside of their home as a pair of tactical vehicles drove down the road. Eventually, police asked the couple to stay inside and away from the windows.
“It was pretty scary,” said Chaisson, who has lived on Jones Road for more than 40 years. “We didn’t even know what house it was.”
At around 10 p.m., the couple heard the sound of gunshots. Shortly after, the police called to tell them to shelter in their basement.
Two hours later, the couple were told that things “were safe” and that they could come back upstairs.
Chaisson said the man who owned the home at 322 Jones Rd. had bought the property from her family, as it once belonged to her grandparents. Property records obtained by The Spectator show that the residence was purchased by Terry Brekka in March 2003.
Neither the police or SIU have identified the suspect. Chaisson said Brekka was living in the house. An SIU spokesperson told The Spectator that the man who was shot was the landlord and that he lived on the main floor and upstairs.
Chaisson described Brekka as a “quiet man,” who often waved at the couple from the yard. She had known both him and his family for many years.
“I can’t fathom it,” said Chaisson, who did not know the couple that was killed. “It’s terrible. It’s just such a tragedy that something like this could happen here.”
Bereziuk said while notifying the victims’ next of kin, police were told that there was a dog named Max in the apartment. Officers had not seen the pup during their search.
Luckily, the pooch was located on Sunday morning by a family member.
“The little dog hid up the street until a familiar voice called out his name and he came running,” Bereziuk said. “He will be staying with the extended family.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Det. Robert Di Ianni at 905-546-3836.
To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8477 or submit tips online to crimestoppershamilton.com.