A man killed in an east Hamilton shooting was once a member of the Hells Angels biker gang and had an "extensive and violent criminal record," police say.

James Louis Malone, 49, of Hamilton, died after he was shot on Kenilworth Avenue North near Hope Avenue at around 1:20 a.m. on Saturday.

Malone was known to police and was "previously a member of the Hells Angels," said Det. Peter Thom, the lead investigator on the case.

"He had an extensive and violent criminal record."

Thom said he was not able to confirm whether the victim was the same James Malone who once stood charged in a 2007 stabbing at a Hamilton strip club.

According to a 2008 report in the Hamilton Spectator, a judge declared Hells Angels member James Malone, then 43, and another man not guilty of aggravated assault and weapons charges in an attack at Hamilton Strip, located on Barton Street East at Catharine Street North.

'Targeted' shooting

The homicide unit was on the scene Saturday morning conducting a probe into the shooting death. Forensics officials had erected a tent on the east side of Kenilworth just south of Hope to examine the victim's body.

Thom said police believe Malone "was specifically targeted" because his shooting death followed a chase through the neighbourhood.

No one else was injured in the shooting. Police have no suspects so far and have not discovered a weapon, he said.

"We are still conducting interviews and gathering evidence," Thom added.

Val — whose apartment is situated on top of a storefront on the east side of Kenilworth — said her two male roommates saw the shooting through a window.

My roommate ran across — he was the first one on the scene — and the gentleman was dead. —Val, area resident

“According to my roommates, they heard a truck stop and two gentlemen … jumped out of a silver truck,” said Val, who asked for her last name not to be published.

“There was a gentlemen walking on the street and about four shots were fired. And they jumped back into their truck and took off at a high rate of speed.”

“My roommate ran across — he was the first one on the scene — and the gentleman was dead,” she said. “My other roommate called 911.”

'Four loud bangs'

Blaze Forgi, 18, was watching TV at his family’s Hope Avenue home when he “heard four loud bangs.”

“I looked out the window and I didn’t see anything,” said the Brock University student. “And then an hour later, I noticed there were these flashing red and blue lights. So looked out there was a bunch of cops and ambulances out there.”

“It’s been kind of crazy,” said Forgi of a recent rash of violence in the area.

On Oct. 24, three male suspects allegedly beat and stabbed a 35-year-old man in the parking lot of nearby Centre Mall. Police have called the attack a case of attempted murder.

“Since the Centre Mall thing and now this,” said Forgi, “it’s been kind of weird.”

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to call Det. Peter Thom at 905-546-3843.