Niagara Regional Police are searching for a suspect in a shooting that occurred in Fort Erie early Wednesday morning.
At approximately 1:30 a.m., the 5 District Criminal Investigations Bureau were called to an address on Niagara Blvd., between Bertie St. and Murray St.
Officers arrived on the scene to find a 27-year-old man suffering from a gunshot wound to the lower body.
Paramedics treated the gunshot victim and transported him to an out-of-the-region hospital, where he was listed in stable condition.
Police believe an altercation occurred between two men outside of a residence on Niagara Blvd.
The incident became heated enough that one man allegedly pulled out a firearm and shot the other.
Investigators subsequently identified and arrested a suspect, but have since learned that the accused, Samuel Sawyer, 28, of Fort Erie, is wanted on five charges.
The charges include discharge of a firearm with intent to wound, aggravated assault, possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm without a licence, mischief under $5,000 and failure to comply with a release order.
Sawyer has a history of alleged involvement in a shooting incident in Fort Erie earlier this year.
On May 17, officers responded to a shooting at around 2:25 a.m. and determined that two men were allegedly involved in an altercation and fled the scene when officers arrived.
No one was injured in the incident.
Sawyer was arrested later that same day and charged with carrying a concealed weapon, discharging a firearm being reckless as to the life and safety of others, and possessing a restricted firearm while knowingly not holding a license.
Anyone with information on Sawyer’s whereabouts is asked to call Niagara Regional Police at 905-688-4111, option 3, ext. 10097, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).
