Warning: This story contains distressing details.
Hamilton police have identified the man they say was killed in a shooting at a large party in the city’s Flamborough region on Sunday morning.
First responders took Tobenna Obiaga, 45, from Halton Region, to hospital where he later died, police said in a news release on Tuesday.
Police said they spoke with Obiaga’s family Monday.
“He comes from a large loving family and they are completely shocked and distraught over this,” Det. Sgt. Daryl Reid said at a press conference Tuesday.
He said Obiaga had “no involvement with police” and “no one can explain or understand why something like this would happen to him.”
Obiaga was shot in his car while parked on the shoulder of Highway 6.
Moments later someone shot and injured two people at a gas station across the street, said police. They are from the Greater Toronto Area and were taken to hospital and then released, Reid said at the news conference.
Police said they do not have suspects but believe the shooter, or shooters, drove a dark grey sedan and fired multiple shots first at Obiaga’s car and then at the other vehicle.
An assault occurred at party: police
Police reported that around 4:30 a.m. on Sunday, officers responded to reports of a shooting along Highway 6. While they initially said the shooting was near an intersection further south, police now say the shootings occurred between Concession Road 7 E. and Concession Road 8 E.
On Tuesday, police said the shooting “originated from a disturbance” that occurred at a large house party at a short-term rental. Investigators believe there were 60 to 100 people present.
Reid said there was an assault at the party and that altercation spilled over into the surrounding area, as people tried to leave.
There’s no evidence that Obiaga was involved in that “disturbance,” he added. Whoever shot Obiaga appeared to have targeted his vehicle, Reid said, but it’s unclear if Obiaga was the person they meant to shoot.
Reid said police believe Obiaga may have been trying to leave when he was shot.
Investigators search short-term rental property
A fourth person was also injured but not with gunshot wounds, and had non-life-threatening injuries treated in hospital, police said.
Police remain at the crime scene, which Reid said is “extremely large” and perhaps the largest he’s worked on.
The labour-intensive investigation continues today, he said, as officers plan to search the property and several cars left on the scene.
Reid said some witnesses have been uncooperative and investigators believe there are many who have yet to come forward.