Man charged in ‘unprovoked’ stabbing death of another man outside Hamilton bar

A 34-year-old Hamilton man is dead following what police say was an unprovoked attack at a bar early Sunday morning.

Det. Sgt. Sara Beck says police were called to Peddles Tavern on Barton Street around 1:45 a.m. following reports someone had been stabbed.

When they arrived they found a man suffering from a single stab wound to the upper body. He was taken to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Police have identified him as Shah Ghafoori.

Police have charged 28-year-old Pierce Herod from St. Catharines with second-degree murder.

Investigators say the two did not know each other and that this was an unprovoked attack.

This is the second violent incident in less than four months at the bar.

On August 24, police were called to a shooting in the parking lot of the bar just before midnight. Two men – aged 20 and 28 – suffered non-life threatening injuries.