Jump to content

2018 Toronto van attack

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirected from Alek Minassian)

2018 Toronto van attack
Toronto Police arrived after the van incident.
Attack location is located in Toronto
Attack location
Attack location
Attack location (Toronto)
Attack location is located in Canada
Attack location
Attack location
Attack location (Canada)
LocationNorth York City Centre, North York, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
DateApril 23, 2018; 6 years ago (2018-04-23)
1:22 – 1:32 p.m. (EDT)
TargetPedestrians, particularly women
Attack type
Vehicle-ramming attack, mass murder, copycat crime
WeaponChevrolet Express van
Deaths11 (including a victim who died in 2021)[1]
Injured15
PerpetratorAlek Minassian
MotiveDisputed:
VerdictGuilty on all counts
Convictions10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder
SentenceLife imprisonment with the possibility of parole after 25 years
Map
About OpenStreetMaps
Maps: terms of use
1km
0.6miles
Attack began
Attack began
Mel Lastman Square
Mel Lastman Square
Van stopped
Van stopped

A vehicle-ramming attack occurred on April 23, 2018, when a rented van was driven along Yonge Street through the North York City Centre business district in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The driver, 25-year-old Alek Minassian, targeted pedestrians, killing 11[n 1] and injuring 15, some critically.[2] The incident is the deadliest vehicle-ramming attack in Canadian history.[3][4][5][6][7]

The attack started at the intersection of Yonge Street and Finch Avenue and proceeded south along the sidewalks of Yonge Street to near Sheppard Avenue. Nine of the eleven killed were women.[8][9] The perpetrator was arrested just south of the crime scene, after leaving the van and reportedly attempting to commit suicide by cop. The arrest was made at 1:32 p.m. EDT, seven minutes after the first 9-1-1 call was made.[10]

The attack is characterized as misogynist terrorism by some because it was motivated by revenge for perceived sexual and social rejection by women,[11] although this conclusion has been challenged.[by whom?] At the time of his arrest, Minassian described himself as an incel to the police,[12] and in prior social media postings, he described the upcoming attack as a continuation of the "incel rebellion" started by the late Elliot Rodger.[13] Minassian pleaded not criminally responsible to the 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder in November 2020, but was found to be guilty on all counts in March 2021.[14] Anne Molloy, the judge of the case, said that "working out his exact motivation for this attack is ... close to impossible," but she "was inclined to accept" assessments by multiple expert witnesses that Minassian likely lied to the police and that notoriety was his main motivation, although misogyny or incel ideology may have still played some role.[15] On June 13, 2022, Minassian was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years.[16]

Attack

[edit]

The first 9-1-1 call reporting pedestrians being hit was received at 1:25 p.m. Eastern Time.[17][18] At Finch Avenue, a white Chevrolet Express van, rented from Ryder, ran a red light, then drove southbound on the west-side sidewalk of Yonge Street, striking multiple pedestrians.[18][19] The van continued along the sidewalk for several more blocks, striking additional pedestrians.[20][21] Security camera video from a local business shows the van reaching Tolman Street, which is one block south of Finch Avenue, at 1:24 p.m. At one point, the van re-entered the roadway due to the narrowness of the sidewalk, but at Park Home Avenue, the van again drove onto the sidewalk, hitting pedestrians in front of Mel Lastman Square, a civic plaza on the west side of Yonge Street, 1.4 kilometres (0.87 mi) south of Finch Avenue (16 blocks).[22]

Paramedics were immediately called to the site, and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre was activated as an emergency centre.[23]

A single police officer in traffic control capacity,[24] Toronto Police Service constable Ken Lam, intercepted the damaged van, which was stopped on the north sidewalk on Poyntz Avenue, just west of Yonge Street and two blocks south of Sheppard Avenue, about 2.3 kilometres (1.4 mi) south of where the attack began. Lam stopped his unmarked cruiser near the van and confronted the suspected driver, later identified as Alek Minassian, standing near the opened driver-side door.[20][25]

aerial view of Mel Lastman Square looking west from across the street
Mel Lastman Square in June 2015

During the confrontation, the driver of the van repeatedly drew his hand from his back pocket and pointed a dark-coloured object toward the officer as if it were a pistol.[25][26][27] Lam ordered the driver to drop to the ground, while the driver tried repeatedly to provoke the officer to kill him, demanding he be shot "in the head!" when the officer warned him he may be shot. Lam then went to his cruiser and turned off its siren. As the driver and Lam advanced towards each other, the officer recognized that the object in the driver's hand was not a gun, holstered his pistol, and took out his baton to avoid the use of unnecessary lethal force. The driver then dropped the object from his hand, lay down on the ground and surrendered to Lam. He was arrested at 1:32 p.m.[28]

Nine people died at the scenes. At 8:15 p.m., the Toronto Police Service announced that a tenth person had died.[23] An eleventh person died on October 28, 2021, after being paralyzed from the neck down and never leaving the hospital.[1]

Victims

[edit]
#Torontostrong memorial in Olive Square, North York, April 27, 2018

The eleven victims killed in the attack were:

Fifteen others were injured, including Robert Anderson, Amir Kiumarsi (Persian: امیر کیومرثی), Aleksandra Kozhevinikova (Russian: Александра Кожевникова), Mavis Justino, Hyeon Jeong Moon (Hangul: 문현정), Morgan McDougall, Jun Seok Park (Hangul: 박정숙), Samantha Peart, So Ra (Hangul: 라소), Catherine Riddell, Sammantha Samson, Xiaolong An (Chinese: 安小龙), Beverly Smith, Dina Risin, and Yunsheng "Bob" Tian (Chinese: 田云生).[42][43][44][45][46]

Perpetrator

[edit]
Alek Minassian
Born (1992-11-03) November 3, 1992 (age 32)[47]
Canada[48]
CitizenshipCanada
OccupationSoftware developer
Criminal statusIncarcerated
Conviction(s)
Criminal penaltyLife imprisonment with the possibility of parole in 25 years
Military career
Service / branchCanadian Army
Years of service0 (released after 16 days of training)
RankPrivate (basic)
Service numberC23249161

Police identified the suspect as Alek Minassian, who had no prior criminal history.[49][50] His father, Vahe, had moved from Armenia to Canada and worked as a software developer, and his mother, Sona, was from Iran and had a job at IT company Compugen Inc.[51] Minassian was also an aspiring software and mobile app developer.[52]

According to his LinkedIn profile, he was a student at Seneca College in North York from 2011 to 2018 and lived in Richmond Hill. Minassian had attended Sixteenth Avenue Public School, an elementary school in Richmond Hill, in a special education class.[53][52] His former classmates at Thornlea Secondary School in Thornhill described him as "not overly social" and "harmless".[28][54] Minassian attended a special needs class for students within the autism spectrum while at Thornlea Secondary School;[55] Minassian's mother is quoted as saying in a 2009 article that her son has Asperger syndrome.[56]

In late 2017, Minassian enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces for two months, before requesting voluntary release after 16 days of recruit training.[57] A senior military official said that Minassian "wasn't adapting to military life, including in matters of dress, deportment and group interactions in a military setting" and "there were no red flags and nothing that would point to anything like this."[58]

Following the attack, a Facebook post made by Minassian was uncovered in which he identified himself as an incel ("involuntary celibate").[28][59] The state of involuntary celibacy refers to being unable to find sexual partners[60] and its subculture consists of primarily male online communities.[61][62] The post, dated shortly before the beginning of the attack on April 23, allegedly read:

Private (Recruit) Minassian Infantry 00010, wishing to speak to Sgt 4chan please. C23249161. The Incel Rebellion has already begun! We will overthrow all the Chads and Stacys! All hail the Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger![7][63]

"Chad" and "Stacy" are nicknames used on incel-related forums within 4chan and Reddit, to refer to popular, attractive, sexually active men and women, respectively.[64][65] The term "Incel Rebellion" is sometimes used interchangeably with the term "Beta Uprising" or "Beta Male Uprising", which refers to a violent response to sexlessness.[66] Elliot Rodger was the "incel founding father" who committed the 2014 Isla Vista killings in California, and someone whom Minassian claimed to have had contact with up until the days before the 2014 attacks.[67][68][69] Rodger intended to target attractive women and sexually successful men, which led to him being posthumously idolized by some people on misogynistic online fringe communities, including several incel websites.[70] Facebook, Inc. verified the account as belonging to Minassian.[28][68] A source in the Department of National Defence told media that C23249161 was Minassian's military identification number during his army training.[71]

[edit]

On April 24, 2018, Minassian appeared without a lawyer before the Ontario Court of Justice in a Toronto courthouse, shackled and wearing a white prison jumpsuit. He was charged with 10 counts of first degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder and ordered not to contact any of the alleged attempted murder victims.[49][72] His father, Vahe Minassian, attended the hearing. He told reporters that he had not spoken to his son.[73] Minassian was charged with three additional counts of attempted murder on May 10: a total of 16 counts.[74] He later retained Toronto criminal defence lawyer Boris Bytensky to represent him.[75] His trial was initially scheduled for February 10, 2020,[76] later moved to March 2,[77] and later moved to April 6, but was postponed again because of the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto to November.[78][79]

The trial began on November 10, 2020, and was conducted over Zoom due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[80] Minassian, who had already admitted to planning and carrying out the attack, pleaded not criminally responsible to the 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder.[81][82] During testimony on November 12, a psychiatrist retained by Minassian's defense team stated in a report that Minassian's "autistic way of thinking was severely distorted in a way similar to psychosis," despite Minassian not being technically psychotic.[83] Attempts by Minassian and his defense to claim that he was not responsible for his actions due to his autism garnered criticism from autism rights advocates, who expressed concerns that the trial might worsen stigmas towards autistic people.[15] Minassian was also found to be highly intelligent.[84]

In the decision, Ontario Superior Court Justice Anne Molloy believed that Minassian seemed to be motivated by the desire for notoriety, and referred to him as "Mr. Doe" so as to avoid giving him further recognition.[15] She wrote, "It is almost impossible to tell when Mr. Doe is lying and when he is telling the truth. Working out his exact motivation for this attack is likewise close to impossible," but that "nevertheless, I am inclined to accept the assessment of all of the experts that Mr. Doe did lie to the police about much of the incel motivation he talked about and that the incel movement was not in fact a primary driving force behind the attack."[15] She also rejected his attempt to use his autism as a defense.[85] On March 3, 2021, Minassian was found guilty on all counts in a verdict that was given by Molloy and streamed live on YouTube.[86] However, sentencing was deferred until 2022 to await the decision of the Supreme Court of Canada in R v Bissonnette on whether prisoners can be made to serve murder sentences consecutively.[87] On June 13, 2022, Minassian was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years.[16] He filed a notice of appeal the following month, arguing among other things that the trial judge "misapprehended" expert evidence and made unreasonable findings.[88]

Aftermath

[edit]

The Toronto subway and bus services in the area were immediately closed or rerouted by the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).[25] Parts of Yonge Street were cordoned off until late on April 24, 2018, for the police investigation.[89][21] Civic buildings in the area were closed late April 23 and remained closed throughout April 24. Area businesses were allowed to remain open, but in areas of pedestrian deaths, those fronting on Yonge Street were allowed access from only the rear entrances.[90] Many businesses in the most affected areas chose to close down for all of April 24, while some opened at different times of the afternoon of April 24. The area was fully open and transit services resumed by April 25.

Security was heightened around a meeting of G7 security ministers being held in Toronto in advance of the 44th G7 summit in La Malbaie, Quebec.[91] The ministers were briefed on the attack shortly after it occurred and the day after the attack, the meeting's agenda included discussion on "soft targets", terrorism and social media, and online youth radicalization.[92] The incident was included in the 2018 Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada.[93] Faisal Hussain, perpetrator of the 2018 Toronto shooting had also developed an interest in inceldom prior to his attack but police found no evidence of radicalization.[94]

Sporting events

[edit]

Around the Air Canada Centre, roads were closed and blocked off with dump trucks, due to safety concerns for fans gathered at Maple Leaf Square to watch the National Hockey League playoff game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Boston Bruins on the evening of April 23.[95][96] A moment of silence was observed during the game in sympathy for the victims.[97]

Concrete barriers were put up along the edge of the northern sidewalk along Bremner Boulevard in front of the Rogers Centre, due to the same safety concerns prior to the Toronto Blue Jays baseball game against the Boston Red Sox on April 24, 2018.[98] Prior to the game, the Blue Jays honoured a few of the first responders in a ceremony, which included a video memorial for the victims of the attack followed by a moment of silence.[99]

Reaction

[edit]
Memorial scene in Mel Lastman Square, April 27, 2018
#Torontostrong vigil in Mel Lastman Square, April 29, 2018

Many domestic leaders expressed their support and condolences in the immediate aftermath of the attack, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau,[100] Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer,[100] Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne,[19] and Toronto Mayor John Tory.[101]

Constable Ken Lam was lauded as a hero for his measured use of force to achieve a non-fatal resolution of his confrontation with Minassian, despite Minassian's seeking suicide by cop.[102] Lam insisted that he was simply performing his duty.[103][104]

Lighting at the CN Tower and the 3D Toronto sign at Nathan Phillips Square were colourless and dimmed for the evening of April 23, 2018. Flags were placed at half-mast at most government locations in Toronto and surrounding municipalities.[105]

An impromptu memorial at Olive Square Park on the east-side of Yonge Street, directly across the street from where the attack began, was started by a local resident at 5:15 p.m. of the same day for people to place flowers and express their grief in writing.[106] The person who started the memorial indicated that all the other public spaces along Yonge Street, including Mel Lastman Square, were cordoned off by police tape so he chose Olive Square which was not cordoned off.[107] Small memorials ranging from a few bunches of flowers to about two dozen bunches of flowers, plus paper messages, photographs and candles in some cases, were established at each location from just south of Finch Avenue to just south of Park Home Avenue where a pedestrian was killed (at the southwest corner of Yonge Street and Park Home Avenue two victims were killed).[108] Next to the fountain at the entry to Mel Lastman Square, where the greatest number of people were struck (at least two killed), another memorial gradually grew to become a hub memorial almost as large as the one at Olive Square.[108]

#TorontoStrong

[edit]

Several crowdfunding campaigns were set up to raise money for the expenses of the victims' families.[109][110] To better coordinate crowdfunding, the City of Toronto established the #TorontoStrong Fund to support victims and their families, first responders, and those affected by trauma.[111] The hashtag was reused in memoriam of the victims of a fatal mass shooting that occurred in the Danforth on July 22 of the same year.

Several vigils were held in the following week. A small vigil was held at Lastman Square on the evening of April 24.[112] Another was held by the Toronto Korean Community Association on April 27 at Lastman Square. An official #TorontoStrong Vigil was held by the City of Toronto on April 29, attended by several thousand.[113][112] It began with a march from Yonge Street and Finch Avenue and ended with a gathering at Lastman Square. Speaking at the gathering were community leaders and the event was attended by Prime Minister Trudeau, Governor General Julie Payette, Premier Wynne, Quebec Premier Philippe Couillard, and Mayor Tory.[114][115]

The two main impromptu memorials at Olive Square Park and Mel Lastman Square were decommissioned on June 3, 2018, and later replaced with a temporary plaque. Mayor John Tory announced plans to erect a permanent memorial for the attack.[116]

On June 13, 2018, the #TorontoStrong's volunteer steering committee announced the appointment of former Toronto mayor Barbara Hall as fund administrator. She was tasked with distributing the money raised for the victims and survivors.[117]

By December 2018, over CA$4 million from the fund had been distributed to victims and families of both the van attack and the Danforth shooting.[118]

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Ten of the victims died on the day of the attack and the 11th victim initially survived the attack but died on October 28, 2021, after being paralyzed from the neck down and never leaving the hospital.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d "'A huge loss': Yonge Street van attack victim Amaresh Tesfamariam missed 'every day'". Toronto.com. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. November 12, 2021. Archived from the original on November 12, 2021. Retrieved November 12, 2021.
  2. ^ Tait, Melissa. "Toronto van attack: What we know about the lives lost, the suspect and more". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  3. ^ Austen, Ian; Stack, Liam (April 23, 2018). "Toronto Van Plows Along Sidewalk, Killing 9 in 'Pure Carnage'". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 11, 2019. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  4. ^ "Canada's Trudeau says security unchanged after Toronto van attack". France 24. April 24, 2018. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  5. ^ "A Grim History of Mass Killings in Canada". Toronto Star. April 24, 2018. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018 – via PressReader.com.
  6. ^ "A history of violence on Canadian soil". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved November 1, 2018.
  7. ^ a b Madhani, Aamer; Bacon, John (April 24, 2018). "Toronto van attack suspect Alek Minassian's Facebook account praised mass killer". USA Today. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  8. ^ Porter, Catherine (April 27, 2018). "Eight of 10 Victims in Toronto Van Rampage Were Women". New York Times. Archived from the original on June 9, 2021. Retrieved December 6, 2020.
  9. ^ Golding, Janice (November 4, 2021). "'It's so sad, heartbreaking': Nurse paralyzed after Toronto van attack dies". CTV News. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Archived from the original on November 4, 2021. Retrieved November 4, 2021.
  10. ^ Gillis, Wendy; Powell, Betsy (April 25, 2018). "Rampage victims mainly women". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018 – via www.pressreader.com.
  11. ^ Boy, Louis (April 25, 2018). "Attaque à Toronto : on vous explique qui sont les Incels, ces célibataires misogynes dont se revendique le suspect". France Info (in French).
  12. ^ Wilson, Codi (March 26, 2020). "Toronto van attack trial postponed again, Alek Minassian's lawyer confirms". CTV News. Toronto. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2020.
  13. ^ "Toronto van attack suspect says he was 'radicalized' online by 'incels'". The Guardian. September 27, 2019. Archived from the original on September 27, 2019. Retrieved July 18, 2024.
  14. ^ Gillies, Rob (March 3, 2021). "Man who used van to kill 10 pedestrians in Toronto guilty". The Associated Press. Archived from the original on April 12, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  15. ^ a b c d Rozdilsky, Jack L.; Snowden, Edward (March 4, 2021). "Toronto van attack: Guilty verdict, but Canada still needs to tackle ideological violence". The Conversation. Archived from the original on March 10, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  16. ^ a b "'These lives were precious': Toronto van attacker sentenced to life in prison". cp24.com. June 13, 2022. Archived from the original on June 16, 2022. Retrieved June 16, 2022.
  17. ^ "9 dead, 16 injured after van strikes pedestrians in North York". CBC News. April 23, 2018. Archived from the original on July 1, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  18. ^ a b Passifiume, Bryan; Connor, Kevin; Stevenson, Jane (April 23, 2018). "10 dead, 15 wounded when van hits pedestrians near Yonge and Finch". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  19. ^ a b Kassam, Ashifa; Cecco, Leyland (April 23, 2018). "Toronto incident: suspect in custody after van ploughs into crowd, killing nine". The Guardian. Archived from the original on October 7, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  20. ^ a b McLean, Jesse; Welsh, Moira; Palamarchuk, Andrew (April 23, 2018). "10 dead, 15 hurt as van mows down pedestrians along Yonge St.; suspect named". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on July 22, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  21. ^ a b Ha, Tu Thanh; Gray, Jeff; Hayes, Molly (April 23, 2018). "Massive investigation into Toronto van attack will shut down parts of Yonge Street for days". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on April 30, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  22. ^ Hui, Ann; Friesen, Joe; Moore, Oliver; Norman, Heather (April 23, 2018). "Twenty-five minutes of horror on Yonge Street: How the Toronto van attack unfolded". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  23. ^ a b "Sunnybrook receives injured from Yonge and Finch". sunnybrook.ca. Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. April 23, 2018. Archived from the original on July 8, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  24. ^ Gillis, Wendy; Moon, Jenna (April 25, 2018). "Arresting officer Ken Lam wonders: 'Did I make the right decision?'". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  25. ^ a b c Rocha, Veronica; Ries, Brian (April 23, 2018). "Van strikes pedestrians in Toronto". cnn.com. CNN. Archived from the original on July 10, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  26. ^ Hayes, Molly; Friesen, Joe; Moore, Oliver (April 23, 2018). "Ten people dead, 15 injured after van hits pedestrians in north Toronto". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  27. ^ Sabur, Rozina; Riley-Smith, Ben; Guly, Christopher; Crilly, Rob (April 23, 2018). "Suspect named after van ploughs into pedestrians in Toronto leaving ten dead and 15 injured". The Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on June 14, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  28. ^ a b c d "What we know about Alek Minassian, alleged driver in deadly Toronto van attack". CBC News. April 23, 2018. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  29. ^ a b c Sanchez, Ray; Vera, Amir (April 25, 2018). "These are the victims of the Toronto van attacks". CNN. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  30. ^ "Sri Lankan woman killed in Toronto van attack". www.adaderana.lk. Archived from the original on January 25, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  31. ^ Gibson, Victoria (April 30, 2018). "Andrea Bradden is remembered in communities across the GTA". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  32. ^ Gibson, Victoria (April 30, 2018). "Geraldine Brady remembered as a 'lifelong friend' with a 'positive attitude and smile'". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on May 2, 2018. Retrieved May 3, 2018.
  33. ^ Abedi, Maham (April 26, 2018). "Toronto van attack victim identified as So He Chung, 22". Global News. Archived from the original on April 27, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  34. ^ a b c "토론토 차량돌진 사망자 정소희·김지훈씨 등 확인". news.koreadaily.com (in Korean). April 28, 2018. Archived from the original on April 7, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  35. ^ Dangerfield, Katie (April 24, 2018). "First of 10 victims killed in Toronto van attack identified as Anne Marie D'Amico". Global News. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  36. ^ Agular, Bryann; Kerr, Jaren (May 2, 2018). "Anne Marie D'Amico 'lived her life to the fullest,' brother says in eulogy". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  37. ^ Joseph, Rebecca (April 25, 2018). "Betty Forsyth, 94-year-old woman who loved to feed the birds, named as victim in Toronto van attack". Global News. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  38. ^ a b Wilson, Codi; Goodfield, Kayla (April 25, 2018). "Three of ten victims killed in North York van attack identified". CP24. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2018.
  39. ^ "All 10 of those killed in Toronto van attack identified". CBC News. CBC News. April 27, 2018. Archived from the original on April 27, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  40. ^ Gibson, Victoria; Gordon, Andrea (April 24, 2018). "Jordanian man confirmed dead in Toronto van rampage". Toronto Star. Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  41. ^ "Parents, siblings, friends: Remembering the lives lost in the Toronto van attack". toronto.citynews.ca. Archived from the original on April 7, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  42. ^ Mandel, Michele (April 24, 2018). "Toronto van attack suspect charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder". Ottawa Sun. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  43. ^ "Victims of van attack came to Toronto from all around the world". The Globe and Mail. April 25, 2018. Archived from the original on April 7, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  44. ^ "Full details of van attack recounted at start of Minassian trial this week". toronto.citynews.ca. Archived from the original on April 7, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  45. ^ Gibson, Victoria; Powell, Betsy (May 10, 2018). "Van rampage suspect Alek Minassian faces three new counts of attempted murder". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on April 7, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  46. ^ "Victim of Toronto van attack 'very scared' there are others like Minassian". CBC. November 15, 2020. Archived from the original on April 7, 2024. Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  47. ^ Dempsey, Ann (May 11, 2018). "'I was like, how did he get a van?' Inside the life of Alek Minassian, the Toronto van rampage suspect no one thought capable of murder". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on May 13, 2018. Retrieved May 13, 2018.
  48. ^ The Interrogation Tape of Alek Minassian (Interrogation footage). Event occurs at 17:02. Archived from the original on July 13, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023 – via YouTube. I understand you were born in Canada." "Yes.
  49. ^ a b Powell, Betsy; Pagliaro, Jennifer; Gillis, Wendy (April 24, 2018). "Most victims in van rampage on Yonge St. were women, police say". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018. Minassian was ordered not to have contact with any of the 13 attempt murder victims and when asked if he understood, he sharply said, "Yes."
  50. ^ Goodfield, Kayla; Wilson, Codi (April 23, 2018). "Van attack that killed 10 people in North York was 'definitely deliberate': police". CP24. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  51. ^ Laidlaw, Katherine (April 22, 2019). "The man behind the Yonge Street van attack". Toronto Life. Archived from the original on May 28, 2020. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  52. ^ a b Humphreys, Adrian; Edmiston, Jake (April 24, 2018). "Toronto van attack suspect Alek Minassian's interest in 'incel' movement the latest sign of troubled life". National Post. Archived from the original on April 27, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  53. ^ Bell, Stewart (April 25, 2018). "'He wasn't a terrorist': Those who knew Alek Minassian struggle to explain the Toronto van attack". Global News. Archived from the original on May 6, 2018. Retrieved May 5, 2018.
  54. ^ Agencies (April 24, 2018). "Deadly Toronto van driver: What we know about Alek Minassian". GulfNews. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  55. ^ Monsebraaten, Laurie (April 26, 2018). "'We're not a violent group of people': Ex-classmate of Alek Minassian speaks out about autism". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on September 16, 2018. Retrieved September 16, 2018.
  56. ^ Grimaldi, Jeremy (April 24, 2018). "Alleged attacker Alek Minassian may have mental health issues". Richmond Hill Liberal. Metroland Media Group. Archived from the original on December 16, 2018. Retrieved December 16, 2018.
  57. ^ Frisk, Adam (April 24, 2018). "Toronto van attack: What we know about suspect Alek Minassian". Global News. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  58. ^ "Facebook post linked to Toronto van attack points to insular, misogynistic world of 'incels'". CBC. April 25, 2018. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  59. ^ "Why some 'incels' are celebrating accused in Toronto van attack". CBC. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  60. ^ Koulouris, Theodore. "Online misogyny and the alternative right: debating the undebatable." Feminist Media Studies (2018): 1–12.
  61. ^ Mezzofiore, Gianluca (April 25, 2018). "The Toronto suspect apparently posted about an 'incel rebellion.' Here's what that means". CNN. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018. "Incel" is short for "involuntarily celibate." It's a movement made up almost entirely of men who claim they "can't have sex despite wanting to," according to incels.me
  62. ^ Daigle, Thomas (June 19, 2020). "Canadians among most active in online right-wing extremism, research finds". CBC News. Archived from the original on August 15, 2020. Retrieved August 15, 2020.
  63. ^ Makuch, Ben. "Exclusive: Toronto van attack suspect Alek Minassian was a member of the Canadian Army". VICE News. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  64. ^ Boyd, Brian (April 27, 2018). "Pathological Incel misogyny and myth of male oppression". The Irish Times. Archived from the original on April 27, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  65. ^ Wendling, Mike (April 24, 2018). "What is an 'incel'?". BBC News. Archived from the original on November 23, 2022. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  66. ^ Beauchamp, Zack (April 25, 2018). "Incel, the misogynist ideology that inspired the deadly Toronto attack, explained". Vox. Archived from the original on May 5, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  67. ^ Fox, Chris (April 24, 2018). "Facebook post connected to van attack suspect's profile references 'Incel Rebellion'". CP24. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  68. ^ a b O'Kane, Josh (April 24, 2018). "Facebook post connected to suspect in van rampage cites 'incel rebellion'". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  69. ^ Dickson, EJ (September 27, 2019). "How the Toronto Van Attack Suspect Was Radicalized by Incels". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 8, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2019.
  70. ^ "Elliot Rodger: How misogynist killer became 'incel hero'". BBC News. April 26, 2018. Archived from the original on May 12, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  71. ^ Yang, Jennifer; Campion-Smith, Bruce (April 25, 2018). "Number cited in cryptic Facebook post matches Alek Minassian's military ID: Source". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  72. ^ Wilson, Codi (April 24, 2018). "Suspect in Toronto van attack charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder, 13 counts of attempted murder". CTV News. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  73. ^ Dube Dwilson, Stephanie (April 24, 2018). "Alek Minassian's Parents & Family: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 28, 2018. Alek's father, Vahe Minassian, was also there, sitting in the front row as the charges were read against his son. Vahe was stunned and cried inside the courtroom. ... He told reporters that he had not spoken to his son, and he appeared heartbroken.
  74. ^ "Accused in van attack charged with 3 more counts of attempted murder". CBC News. May 10, 2018. Archived from the original on May 12, 2018. Retrieved May 11, 2018.
  75. ^ May 10, CBC News · Posted; May 10, 2018 4:00 AM ET | Last Updated. "Accused in deadly Toronto van attack charged with 3 more counts of attempted murder | CBC News". CBC. Archived from the original on November 22, 2018. Retrieved December 7, 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  76. ^ Canadian Press (January 31, 2019). "Case of Toronto van attack accused Alek Minassian put over". Toronto Sun. Archived from the original on February 7, 2019. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  77. ^ "Toronto van attack trial for Alek Minassian to begin March 2, delayed due to 'red tape'". globalnews.ca. December 16, 2019. Archived from the original on April 8, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2020.
  78. ^ Wilson, Codi (March 26, 2020). "Toronto van attack trial postponed again, Alek Minassian's lawyer confirms". CTV News. Toronto. Archived from the original on March 27, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2020.
  79. ^ "Murder trial for man accused in Toronto's van attack set for November". globalnews.ca. June 3, 2020. Archived from the original on June 9, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  80. ^ "Trial for man behind Toronto's van attack to be conducted over Zoom, judge says". cp24.com. October 28, 2020. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2020.
  81. ^ "Alek Minassian says he's not criminally responsible for Toronto van attack". toronto.ctvnews.ca. November 10, 2020. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 12, 2020.
  82. ^ "Toronto van attack: 'Incel' killer Minassian pleads not criminally responsible". BBC News. November 10, 2020. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  83. ^ "Alek Minassian's autism distorted his thinking 'in a way similar to psychosis' ahead of Yonge St. van attack, defence claims". thestar.com. November 12, 2020. Archived from the original on November 14, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  84. ^ Casey, Liam (December 10, 2020). "'His goal was to be remembered forever,' psychiatrist says of van attack killer". CBC News. The Canadian Press. Archived from the original on June 5, 2023. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  85. ^ Carter, Adam (March 3, 2021). "Judge finds Toronto van attack killer guilty of murder". CBC News. Archived from the original on March 23, 2021. Retrieved March 19, 2021.
  86. ^ "Alek Minassian found criminally responsible for Toronto van attack, guilty on all 26 counts". toronto.ctvnews.ca. March 3, 2021. Archived from the original on March 3, 2021. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  87. ^ "Court to wait until 2022 to sentence man who killed 10 people in Toronto van attack". Global News. The Canadian Press. May 31, 2021. Archived from the original on August 13, 2021. Retrieved August 13, 2021.
  88. ^ The Canadian Press (July 16, 2022). "Toronto van attacker seeks appeal for conviction of first-degree, attempted murder". The Globe and Mail. p. A6.
  89. ^ DeClerq, Katherine (April 23, 2018). "Investigation into deadly van incident closes roads in North York". CP24. Archived from the original on June 17, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  90. ^ Breen, Kerri (April 24, 2018). "Toronto van attack: road closures remain in effect Tuesday morning". Global News. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  91. ^ Brewster, Murray (April 22, 2018). "G7 ministers sit down in Toronto to a full plate of world troubles". CBC News. Archived from the original on April 23, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  92. ^ Brewster, Murray (April 24, 2018). "G7 security ministers gathered in Toronto discuss 'soft targets' and online radicalization after van attack". CBC News. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  93. ^ "2018 Public Report on the Terrorism Threat to Canada". www.publicsafety.gc.ca. December 21, 2018. Archived from the original on May 19, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2020.
  94. ^ Humphreys, Adrian (June 21, 2019). "Toronto Danforth mass shooter's long dark obsession with death, violence and 'incel' ideology". National Post.
  95. ^ News Staff (April 23, 2018). "Security Heighten Outside Air Canada Centre Prior Maple Leafs Game". 680news.com. 680 News. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  96. ^ 52 Division, Toronto Police Service (April 23, 2018). "Air Canada Centre and Maple Leaf Square, Traffic restrictions and security enhancements". torontopolice.on.ca (Press release). Toronto Police Service. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.{{cite press release}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  97. ^ Nielsen, Kevin (April 23, 2018). "Maple Leafs hold moment of silence for victims of Toronto van attack". Global News. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  98. ^ Wilson, Codi (March 29, 2018). "New security measures in place for Blue Jays' home opener". cp24.com. CP24. Archived from the original on May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  99. ^ "Blue Jays honour victims of deadly van attack with brief tribute". toronto.ctvnews.ca. CTV News Toronto. April 24, 2018. Archived from the original on May 4, 2018. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  100. ^ a b CTV News staff (April 23, 2018). "Trudeau, Wynne react to Toronto van attack". CTV News. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved April 23, 2018.
  101. ^ "'Nobody's seen anything like this': 10 dead, 15 injured in north Toronto van ramming attack". CBC News. April 23, 2018. Archived from the original on July 1, 2018. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
  102. ^ Kassam, Ashifa (April 26, 2018). "Toronto police officer hailed as hero for arresting suspect without firing shot". The Guardian. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  103. ^ Burman, Dilshad; Pereia, Diana (April 25, 2018). "Arresting officer in Toronto van attack doesn't want to be called a hero". City News. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  104. ^ Madhani, Aamer (April 26, 2018). "Toronto cop who arrested van attack suspect without firing a shot insists he's no hero". USA Today. Archived from the original on April 26, 2018. Retrieved April 26, 2018.
  105. ^ Abadi, Mahem (April 23, 2018). "Toronto sign dimmed, flags lowered to honour victims of deadly van attack". Global News. Archived from the original on July 14, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  106. ^ "Local resident starts memorial outside scene of van attack". CityNews. April 23, 2018. Archived from the original on April 24, 2018. Retrieved April 24, 2018.
  107. ^ Kennedy, Brendan (April 27, 2018). "The day Yonge St. became a war zone: How the van rampage unfolded moment by moment". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on April 30, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  108. ^ a b Brown, Ian (April 29, 2018). "'This is what large cities do with tragedy': Walking the route of the attack to understand Toronto's pain and healing". The Globe and Mail. Archived from the original on May 2, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  109. ^ DH Toronto staff. "GoFundMe campaigns launch to raise funds for victims of Toronto van attack". dailyhive.com. Archived from the original on May 3, 2018. Retrieved May 2, 2018.
  110. ^ Saminather, Nichola (April 26, 2018). "Canadian Muslim charities lead fundraising for Toronto van attack victims". www.reuters.com. Reuters. Archived from the original on April 27, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  111. ^ Jones, Alexandra (April 26, 2018). "#TorontoStrong Fund raises more than $893,000 in first 48 hours". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on April 28, 2018. Retrieved April 27, 2018.
  112. ^ a b Wilson, Codi (April 25, 2018). "City of Toronto to hold vigil for victims of van attack". cp24.com. CP24. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  113. ^ Wilson, Codi (April 25, 2018). "Latest van attack victim identified as single mom originally from Sri Lanka". cp24.com. CP24. Archived from the original on April 25, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
  114. ^ Pagliaro, Jennifer; Mendleson, Rachel (April 29, 2018). "'It hasn't broken us' — #TorontoStrong vigil filled with messages of grief and resilience". Toronto Star. Archived from the original on April 30, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  115. ^ "Trudeau, Couillard join thousands in remembering victims at Toronto Vigil". CTV News Montreal. The Canadian Press. April 29, 2018. Archived from the original on May 1, 2018. Retrieved April 30, 2018.
  116. ^ "Toronto plans permanent memorial for victims of deadly van attack". The Globe and Mail. June 3, 2018. Archived from the original on June 6, 2018. Retrieved June 7, 2018.
  117. ^ Martinelli, Andrea (June 13, 2018). "#TorontoStrong Fund names former Mayor Barbara Hall as administrator" (Press release). City of Toronto. Archived from the original on June 22, 2018. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  118. ^ "#TorontoStrong Fund distributed to victims and families of Yonge Street van attack and the Danforth shooting". toronto.ca (Press release). City of Toronto. December 7, 2018. Archived from the original on December 11, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
  119. ^ "Polytechnique massacre remembered in Montreal". CBC News. December 6, 2017. Archived from the original on May 9, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2018.
[edit]