Hamilton police have arrested five men in connection with the shooting death of 16‑year‑old Faizaan Awan, a Stoney Creek teen killed while fleeing gunfire in March 2025.
Authorities announced the arrests on Friday, after officers executed five search warrants at addresses in Hamilton and Ottawa. All five men are now charged with first‑degree murder in Awan’s death and attempted murder in relation to the two surviving passengers who were inside the teen’s vehicle at the time of the shooting.
Those charged are Mohammad Aburas, 26, of Ottawa; Ameer Nabout, 22, of Hamilton; Ameen Nabout, 20, of Hamilton; Rami Qasem, 42, of Hamilton, and Sari Nawabit, 36, of Hamilton.
Awan was shot on March 6, 2025, just after 4:20 a.m., when Hamilton police responded to reports of gunfire near Highway 8 and Fruitland Road in Stoney Creek.
Officers found two vehicles at the scene — a white Kia sedan and a red Acura SUV. Awan, the driver of the SUV, had suffered multiple gunshot wounds and later died in the hospital.
Police later revealed that Awan’s vehicle had been chased by multiple vehicles before the shooting, describing the attack as targeted and coordinated.
The investigation has involved several police services across Ontario, including the Niagara Regional Police, Peel Regional Police, Brockville police, Barrie police, and the Ottawa Police Service.
Investigators believe additional individuals were involved in the planning or execution of the attack and are working to identify and locate them. Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Hamilton police.