Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Toronto crash: Suspect charged with killing 10 people and 13 counts of attempted murder

Toronto police chief says attack by van mounting pavement for up to a mile 'looks intentional'

Mythili Sampathkumar
New York
Wednesday 25 April 2018 09:34 BST
Comments
Several injured after van ploughs into pedestrians in Toronto

The driver of a van that ploughed into people on a busy downtown Toronto street has appeared in court where he was charged with 10 counts of murder and 13 counts of attempted murder.

Alek Minassian of Richmond Hill, Ontario, appeared in the courtroom in Toronto wearing a jumpsuit, handcuffs, and said little except to confirm that he understood the proceedings.

Police are still not clear what led the 25-year-old to allegedly drive a rented Ryder van down the busy thoroughfare of Yonge Street. Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, said: “Obviously all Canadians continue and will continue to have questions about why this happened, what could possibly be the motive behind it.”

The suspect fled the scene in the vehicle but was caught by police on a nearby street less than 30 minutes after the incident. Mr Minassian allegedly drove “half mile to one mile” down the street, district chief for Toronto Fire Stephen Powell told CNN. Mobile footage captured him shouting at police to “kill me”.

Toronto police chief Mark Saunders said the act “looks intentional”, but stopped short of officially referring to it as an attack or an act of terrorism. Canadian public safety minister Ralph Goodale confirmed there did not appear to be any “national security connection”. Police are still investigating whether Mr Minassian had acted with someone else.

Mr Minassian had a scant online presence; his LinkedIn profile showed that he may have been training to be a software developer. The National Post reported someone with his name had registered a mobile app for “online parking” in the Google Play app store.

He also listed himself as a student at Seneca College in Toronto from 2011 to 2018. The school did not immediately respond to a request for confirmation or comment on whether Mr Minassian had graduated.

Justin Trudeau gives official comments after van hits pedestrians in Toronto

A former high school classmate wrote in a Facebook post: “He was mentally unstable back then. He was known to meow like a cat and try to bite people, this is one sad and confusing story”. Though, Alexander Alexandrovitch said his former classmate was “never intentionally violent”.

Another Facebook clue for investigators came when they found a page believed to be Mr Minassian’s. The user posted on the day of the incident: “Private (Recruit) Minassian Infantry 00010, wishing to speak to Sgt 4chan please. C23249161. The Incel Rebellion has already begun! We will overthow all the Chads and Stacys! All hail the Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger!” Police say it could have been a reference to a 2014 attack using a vehicle on the campus of the University of California Santa Barbara. Rodger shot and killed six people while injuring 14 before turning the gun on himself.

Police said Rodger’s motivation was probably his involvement in the men’s activist movement, comprised of people who think women do not actually want gender equality but have been brainwashed by society and propaganda. Some of the activists believed women should be punished for their success or for rejecting them, as had happened with Rodger.

The social media giant has since deleted the account in question.

Mr Saunders said “there’s nothing that indicates” Mr Minassian had a gun during the incident he is suspected of carrying out. Mobile video has surfaced of an arrest during which it appeared the person arrested may have had a weapon, however.

The man appeared to be pointing an object at an officer, who has his own weapon drawn on the man. The officer did not fire a single shot despite the tense back and forth between he and the man, who claimed to have a gun “in his pocket”. He later managed to arrest the man without further incident.

Mr Minassian is reportedly of Armenian descent. The Armenian Community Centre of Toronto issued a statement saying it and “all of its constituent organisations are deeply saddened and disturbed by the senseless deaths and injuries”. It is unclear at this time if the suspect was associated with the organisation.

“We unequivocally condemn this and all acts of violence. We commend the bravery and dedication of our first responders who, despite being faced with an unprecedented tragedy, saved lives with their heroic actions and rapid response,” the group said in a statement.

“As the investigation continues, we stand united with our neighbours in the City of Toronto and across Ontario and Canada in mourning the lives taken. We pray that God will heal the survivors and illuminate the souls of the victims and bring peace to their families.”

The suspect is set to be in court on 10 May for a bail hearing.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in