Hamilton police have arrested a suspect in the weekend shooting death of Good Samaritan Yosif Al-Hasnawi.

Police arrested Dale Burningsky King, 19, in Hagersville, Ont., at a family member's house around 4:30 p.m. ET Thursday, police said. He'll appear in court Friday.

A 55-year-old Hagersville woman was also arrested. Police initially said she was charged with accessory to murder after the fact, but on Thursday evening, Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk said she had not yet been charged.

The woman was related to King, Bereziuk said, and he was arrested at her home. Haldimand County OPP helped with the arrest.

King has been at large since Monday, when police obtained an arrest warrant for the Hamilton man.

He faces a second-degree murder charge, accused of shooting Al-Hasnawi on Sanford Avenue North Saturday night.

Police still haven't found the older man being harassed when Yosif Al-Hasnawi stepped in, says Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk. Police aren't even sure of his age, but they're still looking. (Samantha Craggs/CBC)



James Anthony Robert Matheson, 20, of Hamilton, is also charged with being an accessory after the fact to murder.

Al-Hasnawi had just left the Al-Mostafa Islamic Centre at 545 Main St. E. where he'd recited from the Qur'an when he saw two people "accosting" an older man, police said.

When the Brock University student, who was with his younger brother, tried to intervene, police say he became the focus of the confrontation. He was shot with a handgun just after 9 p.m., and died at St. Joseph's hospital about an hour later.

The province and city are investigating the actions of paramedics who answered the call. Witnesses say they told Al-Hasnawi he was acting, and that he was shot by a pellet gun.

Bereziuk said Thursday that paramedics arrived on scene at 9:01 p.m., and departed for the hospital at 9:39 p.m. He wouldn't comment further on whether that was unusual for a shooting.

There are still several unknowns in this case. Police still haven't found the gun used to shoot Al-Hasnawi. They also haven't found the older man being harassed.

"We're still looking to identify him," Bereziuk said. "Now that we have Mr. King in custody, we can focus on some of the finer details of this investigation, like locating this gentleman."

Amin Al-Tahir, a director at the Al-Mostafa Islamic Centre, said he knew police would find the suspects.

"We always have faith in the police force," he said.

Al-Tahir said the mosque is planning a public memorial at Hamilton city hall at 6 p.m. ET Saturday for people to pay their respects to Al-Hasnawi.