Canadian police announced on Monday the death of four members of a Muslim family and the injury of a fifth, a nine-year-old boy, in an "intentional" attack carried out late Sunday in Ontario by a young man who ran them over with his pickup truck while they were standing on the sidewalk, likely motivated by his hatred for Muslims. The attack occurred in the small city of London in the southern part of the province, and the perpetrator fled the scene but was soon apprehended by authorities.
Police stated that the suspect, identified as Nathaniel Veltman (20 years old), was arrested in a shopping center approximately seven kilometers from the attack site. On Monday, he faced four charges of first-degree murder and a fifth charge of attempted murder.
"They were targeted because they are Muslim," said Paul White, a police investigator for the city. "There is evidence that this was a deliberate and planned act motivated by hate. We believe the victims were targeted because they are Muslims. There is no known connection between the suspect and the victims." The victims, whose names have not been released, included a 74-year-old woman, a 46-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman, and a 15-year-old girl, representing three generations of a single family, as explained by Ed Holder, the city's mayor. The injured child is recovering after being hospitalized.
Holder stated, "Let’s be clear, this is a mass murder committed against Muslims, against Londoners," denouncing an "unspeakable hatred." The attack occurred around 8:40 PM on Sunday (00:40 AM Monday GMT) when the five family members were waiting to cross the intersection, and a black pickup truck "mounted the sidewalk and ran them over."
White did not provide many details about the investigation but noted that police are reviewing the suspect’s social media posts. He mentioned that the suspect was wearing what appeared to be a "bulletproof vest" at the time of his arrest. The investigator indicated that local authorities are discussing with federal police and the attorney general the possibility of filing "terrorism charges" against the suspect.
Authorities confirmed that the suspect has no prior criminal record and no known affiliation with any specific group.
# Disturbing Attack
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau quickly condemned the "horrific" attack. He tweeted, "To the relatives of those who were terrorized by the act of hatred that happened yesterday, we are here for you. Our hearts are also with the child who is still in the hospital, and we are thinking of him as he recovers." He added, "There is no place for Islamophobia in any of our communities. This hatred is vile and disgusting – it must end."
The National Council of Canadian Muslims stated it was "more than alarmed and demands justice after the horrific car attack targeting a Muslim family in London, Ontario, who were out for a walk on Sunday evening." Mustafa Farooq, the council's president, said it was "a terrorist attack on Canadian soil and must be treated as such." The council also urged authorities to regard "this horrific attack as an act of hatred and terrorism."
This incident revived painful memories of the 2017 shooting attack targeting worshippers at a mosque in Quebec, which was the worst attack on a Muslim place of worship in the West until the mass shootings at two mosques in Christchurch, New Zealand, in 2019.
# Criminalizing Islamophobia
In 2019, Alexandre Bissonnette was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 40 years, though the court later allowed for the possibility of parole after serving at least 25 years of his sentence. The Canadian Supreme Court has agreed to hear appeals regarding the decision to reduce this minimum prison term.
The National Council of Canadian Muslims pointed out that "since the shooting at the Quebec mosque in January 2017, hate crimes have increased" in Canada, calling for tougher laws to "criminalize Islamophobia."
The recent attack in Ontario also reminded Canadians of another truck attack in April 2018 in Toronto, where a man claimed allegiance to the Incel movement and killed ten pedestrians while using a pickup truck. Alek Minassian (28 years old) was convicted for that attack and is currently awaiting his sentencing.
