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