Six Nations police arrest Fort Erie man wanted in Niagara Boulevard shooting
August 20, 2026 at 11:44 AM
Six Nations police arrested Samuel Sawyer on Wednesday, three weeks after Niagara detectives named the 28-year-old Fort Erie man as the suspect in a shooting that wounded a man on Niagara Boulevard.
Sawyer remains in custody and was taken back to the Niagara Region for a bail hearing scheduled for Thursday, August 20, at the Robert S.K. Welch Courthouse at 59 Church Street in St. Catharines. He faces five charges from the July 29 shooting, including discharging a firearm with intent to wound and aggravated assault.
The Six Nations Police Service made the arrest on Wednesday, August 19. The Niagara Regional Police Service did not disclose where officers found him or how the arrest unfolded.
Six Nations police cover the roads and property of the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, about 100 kilometres west of Fort Erie, from a detachment on Fourth Line in Ohsweken. Their officers also hold peace officer authority across Ontario, so the arrest could have taken place outside the territory.
The other charges against Sawyer are possessing a restricted or prohibited firearm while knowingly not holding a licence, mischief under $5,000 and failing to comply with a release order.
Officers were called at about 1:30 a.m. on July 29 to an address on Niagara Boulevard between Bertie and Murray streets for a report that someone had been shot. They found a 27-year-old man with a gunshot wound to the lower body.
Niagara Emergency Medical Services treated the man and took him to a hospital outside the region. Police reported him in stable condition at the time.
An altercation broke out between the two men outside a residence on Niagara Boulevard, according to investigators. The confrontation escalated until the suspect fired a gun at the victim, police say.
Detectives believe the shooting was targeted. They asked residents to stay alert during the three weeks Sawyer was wanted.
Detectives with the Fort Erie criminal investigations bureau continue to investigate and ask anyone with information to call (905) 688-4111.
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About The Author
Andrew Hawlitzky
Andrew is a Niagara community journalist who has covered everything from local politics to annual festivals and breaking news. He works to make local news a platform where community voices lead the conversation. "If you don't like the news, go out and make some!"
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