Shouting heard before victim found in hallway

Beating death of man in apartment is city’s eighth homicide of 2021

First, they heard an altercation. Then, they found his body. Police say some sort of verbal argument took place before a Hamilton man was found dead by neighbours in the hallway of a mixed-use building on Barton Street East on Sunday evening.

Police and paramedics responded to 737 Barton St. E., on the northeast corner of Barnesdale Avenue North, around 6:45 p.m. for reports of a man found unconscious in a secondfloor hallway.

Believed to be in his 50s, the man was taken to Hamilton General Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The homicide is the eighth in the city this year.

Det. Sgt. Jim Callender of the major crime unit told reporters Monday the man sustained blunt force trauma injuries. Police have not yet revealed a cause of death or the victim’s identity — although Callender said the man lived alone in one of the building’s upper-floor apartments.

“We’ve spoken to family of who we believe is the victim … but we’re working to confirm,” said Callender, adding an autopsy was scheduled for Monday morning.

Police were called to the building — a boxy, two-storey structure with a ground-floor restaurant topped by roughly 18 residential units — after “multiple” 911 calls from tenants.

Callender said residents heard a “small disturbance, a verbal type of altercation” before making the grizzly discovery of the victim in the hallway. He said tenants were taken aback from the situation.

It is unclear what was said during the altercation. It is also unclear what, exactly, transpired next.

Callender said no weapon has been recovered and there is no description of any suspect or suspects. There is no indication a vehicle was used as a getaway, he said, adding that police are canvassing the area for video.

Several police cruisers could be seen early Monday parked outside the building.

Much of the area was cordoned off with yellow tape, including the front and rear of the building, the patio of the ground-level restaurant, as well as a back alley and parking lot across the street.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Det. Lisa Chambers at 905-546-3843.

To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800222-8447 or crimestoppershamilton.com.