Hamilton man dies after ‘unprovoked’ stabbing at Barton St. pub: police

A Hamilton man died in hospital Sunday following an “unprovoked” stabbing attack at Peddles Pub in the city’s east end.

Emergency crews were called around 1:45 a.m. to the restaurant on Barton Street, just east of Kenilworth Avenue.

Hamilton police say 28-year-old Pierce Herod of St. Catharines allegedly stabbed 34-year-old Shah Ghafoori of Hamilton in his upper body area with a knife in the lobby of the pub.

“This was an unprovoked incident that nobody could have foreseen – it could have happened anywhere,” Det. Sgt. Sara Beck says in a press conference Sunday afternoon.

Paramedics rushed Ghafoori to hospital, where he later died of his injury.

Detectives say Herod brought the knife with him to the bar.

Herod was arrested at the scene and charged with second-degree murder.

Beck says investigators believe the two men did not know each other.

Police say this is the city’s 10th homicide so far this year.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

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