Hamilton Police arrested a 19-year-old male after a violent assault over the weekend.
On August 24, 2024, officers responded to the parking lot of 1242 Hwy #8, Stoney Creek, after receiving reports of a disturbance. Several individuals were involved, and at least one male had been assaulted with a baseball bat.
Upon arrival, officers discovered two male victims:
- Victim 1: An adult male with serious head and facial injuries
- Victim 2: An adult male with minor injuries
The suspects had fled the scene before the police arrived, last seen heading westbound on Highway #8 in two separate vehicles.
The investigation revealed that the disturbance began when a group, including the suspects, was socializing near their parked vehicles at the southern end of the Tim Horton’s parking lot. Disturbed by the noise, a local resident asked them to turn down the music because it was preventing sleep. One of the males responded with obscenities, prompting the resident and two family members to confront the group.
At that point, the suspect, now identified as 19-year-old Zachary Thomas Pereira, assaulted the victims with a baseball bat. Pereira, from Stoney Creek, faces the following charges:
- Aggravated Assault
- Assault with a Weapon (x2)
- Utter Threat to Cause Death
The Division Two Criminal Investigation Branch is leading the investigation. If you have information that could assist in this case, please contact Detective Sergeant Candace Culp at 905-546-2907 or the Division Two on-duty Staff Sergeant at 905-546-2963.