Hamilton Police have arrested a local man in relation to an investigation involving a hate-motivated altercation. The victim was not physically harmed.

On Sunday, November 29, 2020, shortly after 9:30 p.m., Hamilton Police responded to the area of Barton Street East and Kenilworth Avenue North, for reports of a person with a weapon. Once on scene, officers located the victim, a male in his late 20’s. He advised that he was inside a local business when a male verbally accosted him. The male made several derogatory statements to the victim referencing sexual orientation. The situation escalated resulting in the male chasing the victim outside of the business with a knife while threatening his life.

As officers interviewed the victim, the suspect was located and arrested without incident. During the search of the suspect police discovered he was in possession of brass knuckles, an undisclosed amount of Fentanyl, pieces of identification that were not in his name and the knife believed to have been used in the incident.

The suspect was taken into police custody and his matter was addressed at the John Sopinka Courthouse on Monday, November 30, 2020, where he faced several criminal charges.

The victim was not physically harmed.

Reporting hate crimes and incidents is an important step in stopping the cycle of hatred and preventing others from being victimized.

SEIZED

• Knife
• Brass knuckles
• Identification
• Undisclosed amount of Fentanyl
• Identification not related charged party

CHARGED

• Aaron Kerr, 31-years-of-age from Hamilton

CHARGES

• Assault with a weapon
• Utter threats
• Possession of a prohibited weapon
• Possession of a weapon contrary to an order
• Possession of a controlled substance – Fentanyl
• Identity theft – Document

If you have any information that you believe could assist Police with the investigation into this crime you are asked to contact Detective Sergeant Ben Thibodeau by calling 905-546-2907.

To provide information anonymously call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or submit your anonymous tips online at http://www.crimestoppershamilton.com