Toronto van attack: What we know

TORONTO (NEWS 1130) – Details continue to emerge after a deadly attack in Toronto on Monday afternoon. A man drove a rental van into people walking on a busy stretch of Yonge Street — between Finch and Sheppard Avenues — killing 10 and injuring 15 others before he was arrested.

SUSPECT CHARGED WITH FIRST-DEGREE MURDER

Alek Minassian, 25, appeared in court Tuesday morning and was charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder.

He was clad in a white jumpsuit and only spoke his name during the brief hearing.

Police arrested Minassian less than a half an hour after the incident, which took place at 1:30 p.m. on Monday.

A LinkedIn profile identified Minassian as a Seneca College student from 2011 to 2018, and described him as focused on computer science. Meanwhile, Facebook confirmed on Tuesday it had deleted Minassian’s profile.

Minassian was a member of the Canadian Armed Forces for two months in 2017, Federal Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan confirmed Tuesday. He trained as a recruit for 16 days before voluntary release, meaning he chose not to continue.

An app designed to help people find parking spots in Toronto lists an Alek Minassian as its developer.

SECURITY CONCERNS

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said while the investigation into the attack is still underway, there is no evidence to suggest it was related to terrorism.

Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said there is no threat to national security, and Canada’s risk level remains unchanged at medium.

However, concrete barriers have now been installed at Union Station to prevent vehicles from mounting the curb, and some were also delivered to Rogers Centre Tuesday morning.

VICTIM IDENTIFIED

One of the victims killed in the attack is Anne Marie D’Amico, an employee at Invesco, a U.S.-based investment management firm with offices at Yonge and Park Home Avenue.

She was one of the people taken to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, where she was pronounced dead.

D’Amico had also worked with Tennis Canada and the Badminton and Racquet Club of Toronto.

The South Korean government confirmed two of its citizens died and one was seriously injured in the attack, the Yonhap News Agency reported Tuesday. Their identities have not been released.

ARRESTING OFFICER HAILED A HERO

Minassian was arrested after a brief standoff with a lone police officer not far from the incident site. The officer is being hailed as a hero for taking Minassian into custody without firing a shot.

According to media reports, the officer is Const. Ken Lam, 43, who has worked with the Toronto Police Service for seven years.

“It’s one shining moment in an absolutely game-changing, abysmal, horrific day in the city of Toronto,” Toronto police union head Mike McCormack said. “The one … positive to take away from that day was (the officer’s) behaviour.”

MAKESHIFT MEMORIAL GROWS

A makeshift memorial was set up in Olive Square, a parkette at Yonge and Finch, just hours after the attack. It’s steps away from where the incident began.

People have been leaving flowers and candles and writing messages of support and condolence.

The Toronto sign at Nathan Phillips Square has been dimmed and the official flags at Toronto City Hall, all civic centres and Metro Hall are flying at half-mast.

With files from the Canadian Press