More information on Johnson murder

We’re learning more about the 30-year-old McMaster University student killed early Saturday morning near Hess Village. Hamilton police say Tyler Johnson was shot in front of Vida la Pita after an altercation between two groups of men. Melissa Raftis has more.

We spoke with one of Johnson’s close friends who says he was a smart student with a difficult past, working hard to ensure that he had a better future.

Shaun Chiasson met Tyler Johnson in first-year Engineering at McMaster University. But it wasn’t until second year that they started to form a close friendship: “He was dealing with a lot of the same problems I was dealing with in life and education and to see that he was succeeding made me feel that you know I could succeed as well. He was a little rough on the exterior but on the inside you can tell he was a very caring guy. I could talk to him about anything. Personal stuff that I wouldn’t talk to anybody about.”

The Mechanical Engineering student had been set to start his masters. Chiasson said his excitement was matched by his passion: “He was a very smart guy. Sometimes he was working so hard he made me feel like I wasn’t trying hard enough.”

Johnson was killed just after 3 o’clock Saturday morning when he was shot outside Viva la Pita following what police say was an altercation between two groups of men.

“Hi my name is Tyler Johnson and this is my TED talk for ENG 4E03”

While successful in school, Chaisson says Johnson had to overcome many struggles to reach his goals: “Ya, he kind of inspired me you know.”

He calls Johnson was a good friend and a good person: “He didn’t deserve this. I want him to be remembered for the hard work and determination and the dreams of the future so maybe he can inspire other people.”

No arrests have been made and police have not yet released any suspect descriptions.

This is Hamilton’s 13th homicide this year and the second murder in this parking lot in the past three months.