Country in shock after Toronto van attack
Toronto police talk to a woman after a van mounted a sidewalk and struck a number of pedestrians on busy Yonge Street on Monday, killing 10 people and injuring 16. One man, the alleged driver of the van, has been arrested.
Nine people died and 16 others were injured when a van mounted a sidewalk and struck multiple pedestrians along a stretch of one of Toronto’s busiest streets, authorities said Monday, calling it “a horrific attack.’’
Deputy police chief Peter Yuen said the driver of the van was taken into custody, but did not provide details as to his identity or any charges he may be facing.
“I can assure the public all our available resources have been brought in to address this tragic situation and to investigate,’’ Yuen told reporters near the scene.
Yuen said calls began pouring into police at 1:30 p.m. reporting a driver careening down a stretch of Yonge Street between Finch Avenue and Sheppard Avenue in the city’s north end, which is home to many businesses.
Toronto Mayor John Tory offered condolences to the families and the victims of the incident, saying the city was setting up a hotline to offer support to those affected and another one for witnesses who could help with the police investigation.
Tory called for “a spirit of unity’’ as many residents are likely struggling to come to terms with what happened.
“This is a time when this community should come together,’’ he said. “These are not the kinds of things that we expect to happen in this city. We hope they don’t happen anywhere in the world, but we especially don’t expect them to happen in Toronto.’’
Toronto Paramedic Services
said the injured were transported to various hospitals throughout the city, including Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, which reported that two of the 10 patients transported to their emergency rooms were pronounced dead on arrival.
The hospital said five patients remain in critical condition and three are in serious condition.
While police did not comment on any possible motive for the incident, Canada’s public safety minister said there is no indication that the national terrorism threat level should be raised.
“There is no information
available to me at the present time that would indicate a change in the risk level,’’ said Ralph Goodale, who was in Toronto attending a meeting of the G7 foreign ministers and other security officials when the incident happened.
“Grateful for the brave and professional response of ?Torontopolice and other first responders to the horrific attack at Yonge and Finch,’’ he tweeted moments later. “Canadians are appalled at what happened. The victims and their families have our deepest condolences.’’
Eyewitnesses to the incident described a scene of devastation.
Phil Zullo was driving north on Yonge Street early Monday afternoon when he said he observed police chasing a vehicle.
Moments later he said he realized why.
“I must have seen about five, six people being resuscitated by bystanders and by ambulance drivers,’’ Zullo said.
“It was awful. Brutal. Just people everywhere. People — shoes and shirts and ball caps on the floor, and some of the bodies were completely covered by blankets.’’
Photos from the scene showed paramedics treating several people on a bloodstained sidewalk.