Hamilton’s streets have whispered Belinda Sarkodie’s name for months through grief, through frustration, through a community still trying to understand how a casual night out could end in tragedy.
On July 11, 2025, the 26-year-old, Belinda Sarkodie, was enjoying a peaceful summer evening in the downtown core when a stray bullet, fired in an unrelated conflict, struck her and ended her life in an instant
It was the kind of violence that doesn’t just make headlines, it leaves scars.
For more than four months, the city wrestled with shock and sorrow.
Belinda’s family faced a depth of pain few can imagine, while detectives in the Hamilton Police Homicide Unit pieced together the fragments of a senseless act.
Cameras were reviewed, witnesses were interviewed, and leads were chased with relentless determination.
On November 18, 2025, everything shifted.
The 17-year-old suspect wanted in connection with Belinda’s killing walked into a police station and surrendered himself. No drama.
No chase. Just the sudden, unavoidable reality that the person believed responsible for ending a young woman’s life was finally in custody.
Because he is a minor, police cannot release the suspect’s name, image, or any identifying details under the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
It is a legal shield that protects young offenders, even in the most emotionally charged cases, and has become a point of quiet frustration for many who want to see justice carried out openly. But the law is clear, and investigators must abide by it.
For the Sarkodie family, the arrest is not closure but it is a step.
Inside the Homicide Unit, the weight of the investigation has been heavy.
Detective Michael Ebert, who has led the case since the beginning, described it as “one of the most emotionally heavy files of the year.”
Belinda Sarkodie was not involved in crime, not part of any dispute, not the intended target.
She was simply in the wrong place, in the wrong moment.
That truth has haunted Hamilton.
Police have repeatedly thanked the public for their cooperation, from witnesses who came forward to residents who provided security footage and tips.
Community partners and front-line officers also played crucial roles in gathering the puzzle pieces that finally led to an arrest.
Behind the scenes, Victim Services continues to support the Sarkodie family through an ordeal no family should ever face.
Counsellors and support specialists have been walking with them step-by-step, offering emotional, legal, and practical care as they navigate unbearable loss.
In Belinda’s neighbourhood, conversations about her continue. Some residents have suggested building a small memorial; others speak of her tragedy when warning teenagers about the dangers of escalating street conflicts.
What happened to Belinda is no longer just a story; it is a lesson carved into the heart of a shaken community.
Now that the case is before the courts, police say they cannot release further details. But the investigation remains active, and tips are still vital to seek justice for Belinda Sarkodie.
Hamilton Police urge anyone with information to contact Detective Michael Ebert at 905-546-4167. Anonymous tips can be shared with Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or through their secure online system.
For now, Hamilton waits- waits for justice, waits for healing, waits for the day when Belinda Sarkodie’s name will be remembered not for how she died, but for the life she lived before a single stray bullet stole her future.
The city is closer to answers.
But the journey is far from over.
By STEPHEN ARMAH QUAYE
