Standing on the roof of Jackson Square, Belinda Sarkodie’s older brother shared with people gathered at a vigil what his sister meant to him and his family.
“Belinda wasn’t just my sister — she was my friend, my encouragement and one of the kindest souls I’ve ever known,” said Richard Sarkodie, pausing at times as a family friend rubbed his back.
“It’s hard to put in words the kind of pain our family is feeling right now. Losing her is something we will never fully understand, but even in our grief, we are proud of who she was and we are grateful for the time we had with her.”
In addition to Richard, who lives in Manitoba but was in Hamilton for the vigil, Belinda leaves behind her older sister and mother in Ghana.
Belinda, 26, was waiting at a bus stop near James Street North and King Street West outside a mall when she was shot and killed on July 11. She had been out with a friend, grocery shopping at Nations as she usually did on Fridays.
On Friday, over 100 people gathered outside Jackson Square to remember Belinda, who police have called an “innocent bystander.”
After speeches on the roof, the crowd walked down the stairs together, filling the sidewalk next to the bus stop where Belinda was killed. Some held flags from Ghana and others laid flowers next to a picture of her. One person held a sign that read, “Stop the gun violence now!”
‘I just need justice to be served’
Belinda sought refuge in Canada as a member of the 2SLGBTQ+ community in 2024. Her partner, Grace Nasiru, was one of the first people to learn about what happened, after receiving a call from the friend who was with her at the time.
“She’s a very lovable person. She’s so selfless,” she told CBC News at the vigil, adding she was “devastated,” to learn about what happened.
The pair met in Canada and worked together at the Hamilton airport alongside other Ghanaian women.
Hamilton police issued a warrant on July 13 for the arrest of a 17-year-old suspect in relation to the shooting, which also left one other person injured. Police said Friday that their search for the individual is ongoing.
At 5:25 p.m. ET on July 11, a “male suspect encountered a group” of three people near James Street North and King Street East who “appear to have been the intended targets,” police said.
As he was shooting, Belinda was struck. She was later pronounced dead on the scene.
“The only thing I ask myself is, ‘How was a teenager able to purchase a gun?'” said Nasiru.
“I just need justice to be served. It would give the family some peace of mind.”
Belinda remembered as ‘very kind,’ ‘cheerful’
The vigil had moments of prayer and song, but also quiet and anger.
Evelyn Aidoo, who Belinda regarded as an aunt, shared a message for the suspect.
“You are a coward, so are your parents, your family members and anybody who knows where you are. You cannot take a life away and be hiding for a whole week,” she said during a speech.
“Wherever you are, show up.”
Belinda was “very kind” and “cheerful,” Aidoo said. That’s how she wants people to remember her. “She was always laughing, always laughing.”
Both Aidoo and Richard said Belinda’s family back in Ghana have been deeply impacted by the news of her killing.
“[Her] mom, up till now has not been able to say a word…She has people around her but she herself has not been able to say a word since the incident,” Aidoo told CBC’s As It Happens earlier Friday.
The Ghanaian-Canadian Association of Ontario set up a GoFundMe, aiming to raise $40,000 for Sarkodie’s funeral and to support her family.
