At least nine people are dead and 16 others have been injured after a van was used to mow down pedestrians in the North York area of Toronto.
The driver, identified as 25-year-old Alek Minassian, struck a man crossing the intersection with a white Ryder van and proceeded to target pedestrians on the sidewalk while driving 70 kilometers per hour (about 43.5 miles per hour).
One witness, Ali, told The Globe and Mail that “he saw a stroller fly in the air” as well as “elderly victims” being struck by Minassian.
“People were getting hit, one after the other,” Ali said.
Minassian continued to drive the van through a bench and was eventually stopped on a sidewalk. When he stepped out of the vehicle, he pointed a handgun at police officers before he was eventually taken into custody:
After multiple pedestrians plowed down on Toronto sidewalk, driver gets out holding what appears to be a gun. Police arrest him. No shots fired. pic.twitter.com/xWHeylS1d8
— Michel Boyer (@BoyerMichel) April 23, 2018
“Our hearts go out to anyone affected,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. “We’re obviously going to have more to learn and more to say in the coming hours.”
Despite the vehicular attack, Canada’s terrorism threat level remains unchanged.
