Police say woman, 21, fatally shot on Hamilton Mountain was innocent bystander

Police say a 21-year-old woman who was fatally shot on Hamilton Mountain Thursday evening was an innocent bystander.

Hamilton police have identified her as Harsimrat Randhawa of India. Two of her family members tell CHCH News that she was studying physiotherapy at Mohawk College and worked at a nearby McDonalds.

“This was a young girl who had her whole life ahead of her and tragically lost her life because some thugs picked up a gun,” Hamilton Police Chief Frank Bergen said at a press conference Friday afternoon.

“Harsimrat’s family sent her to Hamilton to prepare her for her future and there’s now an empty seat at their dinner table and an empty seat at her aunt’s house and her friend’s home.”

Police received reports of a shooting around 7:30 p.m. in the area of Upper James Street and South Bend Road.

Investigators say an altercation resulted in the passenger of a black Mercedes SUV firing gunshots at the occupants of a white sedan.

One of the gunshots hit Randhawa in the chest while she was waiting at an HSR bus stop on her way to work. She was then rushed to hospital, where she later died of her injuries.

“As a community, we should be outraged. This is not okay. This is a stark reminder of the devastating impact of gun violence in our city,” Bergen said.

Hamilton Mayor Andrea Horwath shared her condolences to Randhawa’s loved ones in a social media post.

“I’m heartbroken to learn of the tragic shooting that claimed the life of an innocent 21-year-old woman last night. This senseless act of violence is devastating for our entire community,” reads her statement on X.

Officers say gunshots also struck the back window of a nearby home on Allenby Avenue. People inside were watching TV just a few feet away, but fortunately no one was injured.

Police say the white sedan fled northbound on Upper James Street and the Mercedes fled westbound on South Bend Road. Homicide detectives believe there were two people in each of the vehicles. There are no suspect descriptions at this time.

Investigators are asking anyone with dashcam or security camera video between 7:15 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. near Upper James Street and South Bend Road to contact Sgt. Alex Buck at 905-546-4123.

“This is a complex issue and will take all of us to put a stop to it. I’m appealing to anyone with information to come forward and to do the right thing,” Bergen said.

READ MORE: Hamilton police investigate shots fired on Hamilton Mountain