Van kills 10 and injures 15 in Toronto; driver in custody

<p>A rented van plowed down a crowded Toronto sidewalk Monday, killing 10 people and injuring 15 before the driver fled and was quickly arrested in a confrontation with police, Canadian authorities said.</p>

News 12 Staff

Apr 23, 2018, 9:35 PM

Updated 2,188 days ago

Share:

Van kills 10 and injures 15 in Toronto; driver in custody
TORONTO (AP) - A rented van plowed down a crowded Toronto sidewalk Monday, killing 10 people and injuring 15 before the driver fled and was quickly arrested in a confrontation with police, Canadian authorities said.
Witnesses said the driver was moving fast and appeared to be acting deliberately, but police officials would not comment on the cause or any possible motive.
Speaking at a news conference Monday night, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders raised the initial death toll of nine to 10, saying another victim had died at a hospital. He said 15 others were hospitalized.
Saunders identified the man detained after the incident as Alek Minassian, 25, a resident of the Toronto suburb of Richmond Hill.
Authorities released few details in the case, saying the investigation was still underway, with witnesses being interviewed and surveillance video being examined.
"I can assure the public all our available resources have been brought in to investigate this tragic situation," Toronto Police Services Deputy Chief Peter Yuen said earlier.
The incident occurred as Cabinet ministers from the major industrial countries were gathered in Canada to discuss a range of international issues in the run-up to the G7 meeting near Quebec City in June.
Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale said that it was too soon to say whether the crash was a case of international terrorism and that the government had not raised its terrorism alert.
A senior national government official later said that authorities had not turned over the investigation to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a sign that investigators believed it unlikely terrorism was the motive. The official agreed to reveal that information only if not quoted by name.
The driver was heading south on busy Yonge Street around 1:30 p.m. and the streets were crowded with people enjoying an unseasonably warm day when the van jumped onto the sidewalk.
Ali Shaker, who was driving near the van at the time, told Canadian broadcast outlet CP24 that the driver appeared to be moving deliberately through the crowd at more than 30 mph.
"He just went on the sidewalk," a distraught Shaker said. "He just started hitting everybody, man. He hit every single person on the sidewalk. Anybody in his way he would hit."
Witness Peter Kang told CTV News that the driver did not seem to make any effort to stop.
"If it was an accident he would have stopped," Kang said. "But the person just went through the sidewalk. He could have stopped."
Video broadcast on several Canadian outlets showed police arresting the driver, dressed in dark clothes, after officers surrounded him and his rental Ryder van several blocks from where the incident occurred in the North York neighborhood of northern Toronto. He appeared to make some sort of gesture at the police with an object in his hand just before they ordered him to lie down on the ground and took him away.
Witness Phil Zullo told Canadian Press that he saw police arresting the suspect and people "strewn all over the road" where the incident occurred.
"I must have seen about five, six people being resuscitated by bystanders and by ambulance drivers," Zullo said. "It was awful. Brutal."
Police shut down the Yonge and Finch intersection following the incident and Toronto's transit agency said it had suspended service on the subway line running through the area.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his sympathies for those involved. "Our hearts go out to everyone affected," Trudeau said in Ottawa. "We are going to have more to learn and more to say in the coming hours."
Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


More from News 12
0:28
Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say

Man who set himself on fire outside Trump trial dies of injuries, police say

1:53
Rain, clouds followed by mild temps and clearer skies in Connecticut

Rain, clouds followed by mild temps and clearer skies in Connecticut

2:06
STORM Academy basketball coach recalls teen fatally shot in Bridgeport

STORM Academy basketball coach recalls teen fatally shot in Bridgeport

0:25
New Haven PD releases form to better serve individuals with disabilities during emergencies

New Haven PD releases form to better serve individuals with disabilities during emergencies

2:33
Nearly 100-year-old time capsule discovered by Norwalk demo crew

Nearly 100-year-old time capsule discovered by Norwalk demo crew

2:25
CT partnering with other states to regulate artificial intelligence

CT partnering with other states to regulate artificial intelligence

0:35
Tesla recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks because accelerator pedal can get stuck

Tesla recalling nearly 4,000 Cybertrucks because accelerator pedal can get stuck

1:02
Broadway star takes over Fairfield SHU Community Theatre

Broadway star takes over Fairfield SHU Community Theatre

1:14
Early morning fire displaces 5 people in Bridgeport

Early morning fire displaces 5 people in Bridgeport

1:50
FBI on alert for potential threats in Connecticut amid Middle East tensions

FBI on alert for potential threats in Connecticut amid Middle East tensions

0:29
Police: Ansonia man arrested for inappropriate messages to 13-year-old boy

Police: Ansonia man arrested for inappropriate messages to 13-year-old boy

0:21
Officials probe suspicious death of Bridgeport man found in Massachusetts house

Officials probe suspicious death of Bridgeport man found in Massachusetts house

0:29
Thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry stolen during smash-and-grab robbery at Trumbull Mall

Thousands of dollars’ worth of jewelry stolen during smash-and-grab robbery at Trumbull Mall

1:55
The Real Deal: How tipping trends have changed in the tri-state area

The Real Deal: How tipping trends have changed in the tri-state area

Guide: How to host Passover on a budget

Guide: How to host Passover on a budget

Is your mom awesome? Connecticut tell us why your Mom Rocks!

Is your mom awesome? Connecticut tell us why your Mom Rocks!

2:34
Bridgeport sexual assault survivor shares story during Sexual Assault Awareness Month

Bridgeport sexual assault survivor shares story during Sexual Assault Awareness Month

2:11
Milford business owner loses house and dog in fire; effort to help underway

Milford business owner loses house and dog in fire; effort to help underway

2:27
17-year-old dies from gunshot to head, becomes Bridgeport’s 4th homicide victim this year

17-year-old dies from gunshot to head, becomes Bridgeport’s 4th homicide victim this year

2:17
Renters push for ban on 'no cause' evictions, but CT lawmakers are wary

Renters push for ban on 'no cause' evictions, but CT lawmakers are wary