Toronto van attack: 10 killed; driver Alek Minassian arrested; top updates

The driver, who tried to run away after the fatal incident, has been arrested and identified as Alek Minassian, 25. Catch all the updates around Toronto attack

BS Web Team 

A damaged van seized by police is seen after multiple people were struck at a major intersection northern Toronto, Canada, Photo: Reuters
A damaged van seized by police is seen after multiple people were struck at a major intersection northern Toronto, Canada, Photo: Reuters
At least 10 people were killed when a white van rammed into pedestrians in downtown Toronto, the police confirmed. The rental van was driven along the sidewalk for more than 2 km. Fifteen people are injured in the incident. 

The driver, who tried to run away after the fatal incident, has been arrested by the Canadian police and identified as one Alek Minassian. The police have taken Manassian, 25, into custody, but the motive for the attack is still not clear. 

The local residents in north Toronto are horrified by the sudden attack. Diego DeMatos, who witnessed the incident while returning from a gym, was quoted as saying by CNN: "It was like a scene from a war zone. It was really, really horrible."

Toronto Mayor John Tory praised the police for taking swift action and arresting the attacker. In a brief statement, he said: "Our city denounces this and all acts of violence and we are united in our grief over this devastating loss of life."   

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered his heartfelt condolences and prayers for families affected in the incident. 

Here are all the latest updates on the Toronto van attack, which took away 10 lives and left 15 injured: 

1. No threat to national security: Ralph Goodale, the minister of public security, added that "on the basis of all available information at the present time, there would appear to be no national security connection to this particular incident." "Horrible day in Toronto," he had posted earlier on Twitter.

2. Web portal for eye-witnesses to upload videos: The majority of victims have not been identified yet. Toronto police have created a web portal for the witnesses to share videos and photos of the incident. 

Tragic van attack in Toronto
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Investigators view a damaged van seized by police

Monday afternoon turned into a horror story when a rented van ploughed into a crowd in Yonge and Finch in the Toronto city. The death toll has now risen to 10, according to the local police. Ten of the victims were taken to Sunnybrook hospital’s trauma centre and the authorities are in the process to identify the deceased.

The driver has been identified as Alek Minassian, 25
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Fire fighters and police stand near a covered body

After the tragic incident, the Toronto police arrested the driver in a dramatic confrontation. A viral video on social media showed that the driver was shouting "kill me," at the police. The police can be heard telling the man to get down on the ground. The man responds: “I have a gun in my pocket.” The police threatened the driver by saying that if he does not get on the ground, they will shoot. Then the man was taken into custody by Toronto Police. 

We're monitoring the situation closely, says PM Justin Trudeau
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A police officer takes a picture of a covered body

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed condolences for the victims and their families. In a statement, he said, “We are monitoring this situation closely, and will continue working with our law enforcement partners around the country to ensure the safety and security of all Canadians.” He also praised the police for their quick and impromptu reaction to the incident.   

Not a terror attack, confirms police
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People react to the incident near the blocked-off street in northern Toronto

In a brief press conference, Mark Saunders, Toronto police chief, said that the incident “definitely looks deliberate". However, the police could not identify any motivation behind the incident. There is nothing which will suggest that the incident is a terror attack, police said. The investigation is ongoing. The driver is not associated with any known terrorist organisations, said police.

Residents are still in shock
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A couple look down the road after the incident.

 

Eye-witnesses share their horrific experience to press.  Some of them said that driver swerved from side to side, on and off the pavement, in an apparent attempt to hit pedestrians before crumbling them to death. Christian Ali said he saw three people lying in the street. “There was a lot of blood flowing,” he told the Guardian. 

G7 meeting will be on Tuesday, as scheduled: Vehicle attacks have been carried out to deadly effect by extremists in a number of capitals and major cities, including London, Paris, New York and Nice. Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland said the G7 meeting would continue as planned on Tuesday, with officials discussing ways to secure democratic societies from foreign interference.


"The work of the ministers obviously goes on. This is a very sad day for the people of Toronto and the people of Canada," she said.

Tribute to Toronto tragedy: The game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins opened with tributes to victims of the fatal incident. An impromptu memorial had already been set up less than 50m from one of the victims.

The Toronto Sign has been dimmed and the official flags at Toronto City Hall, all Civic Centres and Metro Hall will be flown at half-mast until further notice to mark the tragic events that took place today. pic.twitter.com/4fNVQbEiJb

— City of Toronto (@TorontoComms) April 23, 2018

First Published: Tue, April 24 2018. 16:14 IST