A 20-year-old pick-up truck driver killed four members of a Muslim family in Canada’s Ontario province on Sunday evening. The suspect, who later fled the scene, slammed into the family, who were out for a walk. Detective Superintendent Paul Waight said he was wearing a vest “like body armour.” “There is evidence that this was a planned, premeditated act, motivated by hate. It is believed that these victims were targeted because they were Muslim,” Waight told AFP.
The driver was arrested at a mall seven kilometres away from where the incident took place in London city, Ontario. The driver has been identified as Nathaniel Veltman and faces charges of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. A nine-year-old boy, who was injured in the attack has been hospitalised.
Among those killed in the incident include a 74-year-old woman, a 46-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman and a 15-year-old girl. The family had immigrated from Pakistan 14 years ago.
"This was an act of mass murder, perpetrated against Muslims ... rooted in unspeakable hatred. This act of unspeakable hatred, the act of Islamophobia, must be followed by acts of compassion," London Mayor Ed Holder tweeted. Local authorities are in discussion with the federal police and the attorney general to add terrorism charges.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted that he was «horrified» by the attack.
