Number of homicides in Hamilton hits 14-year high

The shooting death of a 30-year-oldman is Hamilton's13thhomicide of the year the highest number in more than a decade and caps off a month of ghastly headlines in the city.

Tyler Johnson, of Hamilton,was shot in front of a restaurant on King Street West at Caroline early on Saturday morning, in the same parking lot where an 18-year-old man had been stabbed to death less than three months earlier, on Sept. 15.

• Related: Hamilton police name victim in fatal downtown shooting

"Shortly after 3 a.m.,an altercation occurred between two groups of men outside a restaurant located at 217 King St. W," saidDet. Paul Hamilton in a Saturday news release

The conflict, he said, "quickly escalatedwhen one man produced a handgun and shot the victim."

Emergency crews found Johnson without vital signs lying in the TimHortonsparking lot next to the restaurant where the shooting had occurred, said James Summers, a spokesman forthe Hamilton Paramedic Service.

Paramedics transported Johnsonto Hamilton General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

On Saturday afternoon,Det. Hamilton told CBC Hamilton that Johnson did not have a criminal record.

Police, he added, have no suspects in the investigation.

Spate of homicides

The homicide is the Hamiltons13thof the year the highest numberin 14 years and the third forthe month of November.

In 2010, there were 12 homicides in Hamilton. The last time the city recorded more than thatwas in 1999, which saw 16 homicides.

A spate of murder investigations havebeen launched since the beginning of September.

Occurring just two days before the Sept. 15stabbing, a shooting at a downtown Hamilton apartment buildingkilled a 21-year-old Mississauga man and led to murder charges for a 23-year-old of no fixed address.

In late October, a man who had been struck by a car during a summer hit and run on Barton Street East died of his injuries in hospital. Police thendeclared his death the citys10thhomicide of the year.

On Nov. 9, James Lou Malone, an ex-member of theHellsAngels biker gang, was gunned down after a chase near his east Hamilton home.

Police arrested two brothers JohnandMato'MichaelJosipovic, 50 and 47, respectively and charged them with first-degree murder in the case.Det. PeterThom, of the Hamilton Police Service, said Malone and the brothers grew up together."

Additionally, aStoneyCreek manis facing charges in the Nov. 12 death of a sex worker. Police arrestedDaliborKlaric, 35,JialiZhang, a 40-year-old Chinese national who had been living in Toronto andworking as an escort.

Shortly after 11 p.m. on that day, police say, they received a 9-1-1 call from theparking lot ofEastgateSquare from a male who reported that he had just killed a woman in his apartment.

The citys coroner later said the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head.

Hamilton's most high-profile homicide case of 2013arose in May, whenAncaster's Tim Bosmadisappeared after leaving his home to take two men on a test drive in a truck the 32-year-old was looking to sell.

After heartfelt appeals from his family for Bosma's safe return, his remains, which had been burned, were found at a Waterloo-area farm less than two weeks after he was last seen alive.

The case attracted international attentionand led to murder charges for two men, Dellen Millard, 28, of Toronto, and Mark Smich, 26, of Oakville.

'I don't feel safe,' store owner says

The two King Street West deaths raisemajor safetyconcerns for people who live and work in the area, saidSamirSeif, owner of Big Bee, a convenience store located on the southwest corner of King West and Caroline.

I dont feel safe, he told CBC Hamilton on Saturday morning.Its been less than three months since the [Sept. 15 stabbing] happened.

Seifcalledfor a stronger police presence in the central Hamiltonneighbourhood.

We need more securitybecause there are lots of bars in this area, he said.

Theres a lot of problems. I think its bad sign.