On Tuesday, Alek Minassian, the man behind the van attack that killed ten innocent civilians and injured another fifteen more on a busy Toronto intersection, had his first day in court. He has been formally charged with ten counts of first degree murder, alongside another thirteen counts of attempted murder in relation to Canada's deadliest mass killing in decades.
Minassian did not raise his head once during the hearing and only spoke to declare his name. It has been noted that Minassian showed some disturbing support for Elliot Rodger on Facebook, a man who infamously murdered 6 individuals and himself during an killing spree in California. Rodger's massacre involved handguns, stabbing, as well as striking several pedestrians with his car.
The incident appears to be purely intentional, but the exact catalyst behind premeditated homicidal rampage remains a mystery for now. The Toronto police officer who confronted the murderer is now being honoured for his handling of the situation, which did not involve a single bullet being fired. Peep a clip of their encounter below:
