Police release new images of man targeted in Yosif Al-Hasnawi case

Police still haven't found an older man they say was being accosted when Yosif Al-Hasnawi was shot, and now they've released two more photos.

The new photos the clearest to date show the man police say was being "verbally accosted" by two people in central Hamilton on Dec. 2.

That's when Al-Hasnawi, a 19-year-old pre-med student, came out of the Al-Mustafa Islamic Centre on Main Street East around 9 p.m., Hamilton police say.

He intervened, say investigators, and the attention turned to him. The altercation continued a short distance away on Sanford Avenue.

That's when Al-Hasnawi, who police deemed "a Good Samaritan," was fatally shot. He died at St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton about an hour later.

Both the province and Niagara Regional Police are investigating the conduct of paramedics at the scene. They arrived just after 9 p.m. and didn't leave to take Al-Hasnawi to the hospital until 38 minutes later.

Al-Hasnawi's father and two brothers are suing police and paramedics. A 19-year-old, Dale King, is charged with second-degree murder.James Matheson, 20, is charged with being an accessory after the fact.

Meanwhile, investigators are still trying to find the older man.Police say in the new photos, the hat is different from previous photos. Theybelieve the coat, pants, shoes, bag and hoodie are the same.

This is the fourth public plea in two months for anyone who recognizes him. Despite that, Det. Sgt. Steve Bereziuk says finding the man isn't critical to the investigation.

"It's an open-end portion of the case," he said last month."So in terms of any leads or any portions of the case that have not been formally cleared or solved, we need to look into (them)."

Anyone with information should contact Det. Doug Jonovichat905-546-4863, orCrime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or www.crimestoppershamilton.com.