Hamilton man shot after letting child play with his gun: police

A 25-year-old Hamilton man who was shot after letting a six-year-old child play with his gun is facing charges, police say.

That’s just one incident in what Hamilton police say has been a record year for shootings in the city.

Investigators with the police service’s shooting response team announced the arrests of five individuals allegedly connected to the “surge” of gun violence on Monday and released images of several other wanted suspects.

Akhu Page was identified as the suspect in the case involving the six-year-old child, police said, adding that he was left with a non-life-threatening injury after the gun fired. It’s unclear when or where exactly the incident occurred, as is the relationship between Page and the child.

Another suspect, identified by police only as an 18-year-old, was arrested following a shooting at Sanford Avenue North and King Street East on Aug. 10 in which an individual was used as a “human shield.” That person was not injured and police said at the time, when they released video of the incident, that they were looking to speak with him as a witness.

A 15-year-old suspect is also facing charges in a daylight shooting across from Lime Ridge Mall on Sept. 1. Police released video of that incident as well, where someone can be seen walking behind another individual before gunshots are heard. No one was struck or injured, police said.

So far this year, Hamilton has seen 54 shootings, which police say is a record. Investigators mapped out the shootings in an image released Monday, which shows most occurred in the Lower City by Main Street.

“We cannot become complacent about gun violence in our city,” Supt. Marty Schulenberg said in a news release. “We need people to speak up and speak out when they see something suspicious in their neighbourhoods.”

In announcing the arrests, police also identified two suspects and released the images of several others wanted in connection with the string of shootings.

Those include Hamilton resident Kevin Johnson, 44, who is wanted for an alleyway shooting at Market Street in June, and Gary Patrick Cunningham, 22, of Beeton, Ont., who is wanted in connection with a shooting outside Peddles Bar.

“It’s up to all of us to ensure Hamilton remains a safe place to live, work, and raise our families. We urge anyone with information to come forward—every voice matters in helping prevent further violence and bringing those responsible to justice,” Schulenberg added.

Hamilton police’s shooting response team started as a year-long pilot aimed at investigating non-lethal shooting across the city, but was made permanent in March following an “increase in shooting incidents.” To date, they have arrested 30 suspects and laid 196 charges in investigating those incidents.

CTV News Toronto has reached out to Hamilton police for more information.