HAMILTON — A high-speed stolen car chase ended with the fatal shooting of a 16-year-old boy in Hamilton's east end, police said in an update Friday.
Police say the teen was driving a stolen car when it crashed with another stolen vehicle, one of at least three chasing him through Hamilton's east end early Thursday morning.
Multiple people then shot at him and he fled the scene, Det. Sgt. Daryl Reid told a news conference on Friday afternoon.
As police searched for suspects, investigators were also trying to piece together why the vehicles had given chase and what brought the 16-year-old from nearby York region to the city in the first place.
"That is still a major part of our investigation," Reid said.
He identified the 16-year-old as Faizaan Awan, saying the teen came from a large and loving family.
"They're distraught that their 16-year-old child is now deceased and has died in a manner, in a violent manner, like this, and they're struggling to find the answers that we're trying to find for them," Reid said.
Investigators say the shooting took place around 4:20 a.m. Thursday near Highway 8 and Fruitland Road in the city's east end.
The teen was driving a stolen Acura being chased by three other vehicles, including a stolen Kia, eastbound along Highway 8, Reid said. The pursuit lasted for at least a few blocks before the Kia and the Acura crashed around Fruitland Road, he said.
Multiple people then shot at the Acura and fled the scene, either in vehicles or on foot, Reid said. At least one other person in the Acura with the 16-year-old also fled, leaving him behind, Reid said.
Officers were called and found the teen who had been shot inside the car. He was taken to hospital where he later died from his injuries, Reid said.
An autopsy was scheduled for Friday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 7, 2025.
The Canadian Press
