Rally held in Hamilton for man killed in police-involved shooting

Family and friends of Erixon Kabera, who died following an officer-involved shooting in November 2024, held a rally Thursday at Hamilton City Hall calling for justice.

The Rwandan Canadian community of Hamilton, and Kabera’s friends and family said he was a good man, and didn’t deserve to die the way that he did.

Erixon Kabera, 43, was fatally shot on Nov. 9 by Hamilton police when they responded to a report at 1964 Main St. W from a tenant saying there was a suspicious person with a gun.

The rally comes after the Special Investigations Unit cleared the involved officers of any wrongdoing earlier this month saying the response from police was “reasonable under the circumstances.”

The poster promoting the event says “The Kabera family is deeply disappointed with the findings of and the lack of accountability.”

READ MORE: SIU clears Hamilton police of wrongdoing in death of Erixon Kabera

The shooting happened on Nov. 9, on the fifth floor of the apartment building Kabera lived in, at 1964 Main St. West.

The Special Investigations Unit’s (SIU) report explained how Kabera had been holding a replica handgun, which officers mistook for a real firearm.

The report said a neighbour had called police to report that a man they didn’t recognize was knocking on their door holding what appeared to be a handgun, saying he wanted to “hang.”

According to the report, officers arrived just before 5 p.m. When they got to the fifth floor, they called out to Kabera. He went into his apartment and locked the door.

The report then says Kabera exited his apartment with what appeared to be a handgun pointed at the floor.

When he was confronted by the officers, the SIU said Kabera raised the replica gun and walked toward them, and was immediately met with gunfire.

The two officers fired at least 24 shots at Kabera. The 43-year-old was taken to hospital with eight gunshot wounds.

He was pronounced dead at the Hamilton General Hospital early the next morning.

While the officers have been cleared by SIU, Kabera’s friends and family are calling for justice.

“Given that the SIU report came out about ten days ago, we’re rallying in protest of the report and we’re disappointed with it,” said Andy Ganza, one of Kabera’s friends. “We’re hoping that the community comes out [to] rally for him – I’ll remember him, and we’re asking for more. We’re not satisfied with the report.”

“So I’d like to see things change in Ontario, because you can’t just shoot someone with 24 bullets, and just go and feel like ‘it’s fine, it’s fine, it’s fine’,” said Parfait Karekezi, Kabera’s brother. “Especially for the family, because for us, this event has torn us apart.”

Kabera’s family and friends plan to hold many more rallies, similar to the one they held at Hamilton City Hall, to keep his memory alive.

READ MORE: Chief clarifies details of Saturday’s fatal Hamilton police shooting amid conflicting reports