A young couple was allegedly shot to death by their landlord Saturday, leading to a multi-hour standoff with Canadian law enforcement.
A 57-year-old landlord in Hamilton, Canada, is believed to have shot and killed a 27-year-old woman and 28-year-old man after a dispute on Saturday afternoon, according to CBC. The young couple were engaged to be married and were renting a home from the landlord at the time of their deaths.
“They are truly innocent victims … this is a very tragic incident,” Detective Sgt. Steve Bereziuk told reporters. In a statement shared online, Special Investigations Unit spokesperson Monica Hudson said that law enforcement received a report around 5:40 p.m. regarding the initial shooting.
SIU spokesperson Monica Hudon: pic.twitter.com/po1NPDt3C4
— Special Investigations Unit (@SIUOntario) May 28, 2023
The landlord is believed to have shot the couple as they were “fleeing the residence,” and barricaded himself inside the property when the police arrived, CBC reported. Police managed to engage the landlord in a dialogue, which lasted until around 10 p.m. when the talks fell apart.
The landlord was then killed by law enforcement after “an exchange of gunfire.” He was pronounced dead at the scene. (RELATED: Two Shot Dead At Popular Ski Town As Suspected Gang Violence Leads To Lockdown)
“The early indication on that is it sounds like there was some type of dispute regarding the state of the home. The specifics I don’t think I’ll get into at this point in time,” police said of the situation, noting that it had nothing to do with “a missed rental payment.” A slew of law enforcement officials are working on the case, and the situation is still considered an open investigation.