Saira Peesker · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 10, 2026 12:21 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 hours ago

A rolling shootout between multiple vehicles led to the murder of a 16-year-old in Hamilton last year, police said Friday, tying the death of York Region resident Faizaan Awan in March 2025 to a disagreement between two tow-truck companies.

At a news conference on Friday, police said five men affiliated with now-shuttered Provincial Tow in east-end Hamilton have been arrested and charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder.

Police said the arrests followed the execution of five separate search warrants. Two other people were in the car with Awan when he died, one of whom was also shot but survived.

Awan, who was from York Region, died on March 6, 2025, after what police now say was an exchange of gunfire between several vehicles, including from the red Acura SUV he was driving. 

Hamilton police had previously said "multiple vehicles” chased his car for several kilometres before the shooting, which took place just east of Highway 8 and Fruitland Road at about 4 a.m.

Someone called 911, and first responders who came to the scene took Awaan to the hospital, where he later died.

Accused range in age from 20 to 42

At a news conference on Friday, Det. Staff Sgt. Robert Di Ianni said Awan was killed after a disagreement between Provincial Tow and another company. Provincial Tow was operated by the Nabout family, two brothers of which are among the five arrested. Di Ianni said all five accused were affiliated with that company.

Police would not name the other company, but said it is based in Hamilton.

Di Ianni identified the five people charged as Mohammad Aburas, 26, of Ottawa; Ameer Nabout, 22, of Hamilton; Ameen Nabout, 20, of Hamilton; Rami Qasem, 42, of Hamilton; and Sari Nawabit, 32, of Hamilton.

Di Ianni said Nawabit is also part of the Nabout family, by marriage.

Both of the survivors from Awan’s vehicle were interviewed by police; however police say they don’t know who was shooting from that vehicle or what happened to the weapon.

"This was not a random act. Our investigation has determined that this was a targeted attack involving multiple individuals and multiple firearms," Di Ianni said, adding that police don’t know if the suspects knew that Awan was in the car.

Calling it a “complex” investigation that is ongoing, he thanked numerous municipal police services for their help, including those in Niagara Region, Peel Region, Brockville, Ottawa and Barrie.

A white Kia sedan was also found at the scene, having collided with Awan’s red Acura, and a stolen silver Infiniti linked to the chase was later found in the area and had also been involved in a collision. Police said Friday that a tow truck was also involved.

“Several people then fled the area in cars and on foot leaving Faizaan behind at the scene,” police said in a release issued at the time of the homicide.

After reviewing footage and interviewing witnesses over the past year, police now believe multiple firearms that have not been recovered were involved in the shooting. They appealed for the public’s help on the case in March, saying then that they believe there are people who know why Awan was targeted and have more details on what happened.

On Friday, Di Ianni said new evidence that emerged over the last month led to the arrests.

“The Homicide Unit believes additional individuals may be involved, and this remains an ongoing investigation,” police said in a release issued after the news conference. “Investigators continue to work to identify and locate anyone else who may have played a role in this incident. Further arrests are anticipated.”

“To Faizaan's family, our thoughts are with you,” Di Ianni said Friday.