Grief over van attack sinks in days after rampage

TORONTO — Grief over the van attack that killed 10 people along a busy street in Toronto is truly sinking in as the public learns more about the victims, mourners said Thursday.

Three days after a van careened down a one-kilometre stretch of Yonge Street, striking pedestrians in its path, Toronto residents were still gathering at the site to lay flowers, shed tears and pay tribute.

A small group of about 20 people gathered at the makeshift memorial Thursday morning, silently surveying the large assortment of bouquets, candles and written notes in the area. The messages were written in numerous languages.

A handful of workers from a nearby government office wiped tears away and exchanged hugs.

One of them, Kristi Wing, said the enormity of Monday’s attack is becoming clear as details emerge about the victims. She had observed paramedics treating patients and covering those who were beyond help in the aftermath of the incident, but said the tragedy feels more real several days later.

“I saw bodies and now there are names and faces to them,” she said.

Authorities have not named any of those killed, saying confirming the identities will take time given the size of the crime scene and the scope of the probe.

But other sources have identified some of the dead. They ranged in age from their 20s to their 90s, hailed from as far away as Jordan and South Korea, and are remembered for everything from their passion for cooking to their devotion to their young children.

Social media posts from various co-workers identified one of the victims as Chulmin (Eddie) Kang, a chef at a downtown Toronto steakhouse.

“It hurts knowing I won’t be able to see your bright smile every weekend, or hear you say ‘Hi’ to everyone in your energetic voice,” co-worker Mailee Ly wrote in a Facebook post.

“I don’t think you knew the touch and influence you had on everyone ... simply because of your kind nature and passion for cooking. Times like this, it goes to show that by simply being a kind person, you can have a further reach than you ever know.”

Others killed include Renuka Amarasingha, a Toronto school board employee who was the sole caregiver for her seven-year-old child, and Betty Forsyth, believed to be in her 90s, who was described as a lively person who loved to feed animals on her walks through the neighbourhood around the scene of the attack.

The victims also include Jordanian citizen Munir Alnajjar, who had recently travelled to the city to visit his son; Anne Marie D’Amico, an investment company worker with a love of volunteering; and Dorothy Sewell, an 80-year-old grandmother who was passionate about local sports.