Toronto Van Attack Case Study

In April 2018, an agonizing van attack took place in downtown Toronto. 10 innocent pedestrians were killed and 16 were injured. A man, known to the public as Alek Minassian, drove his van straight into the crowded intersection of Yonge Street and Finch Avenue. The rampage went on as the crazed driver sped through the sidewalks of the busy North York City Center business district, consciously targeting the pedestrians. The van eventually came to a halt just south of the crime scene. Further investigations showed that Minassian’s motivation can be closely related with his abnormal mental states, specifically his lacking of sexual activities. Over the course of one month, Minassian appeared in the court twice and was charged with 16 counts in total. As the investigations finally concluded, Yonge street was finally reopened to the public. Immediately, residents from the vicinity gathered up and hosted several memorials and vigils aimed to assist the relatives of the victims to recover from both their recent physical as well as psychological trauma. The citizens even initiated a fundraiser known as the Toronto Strong Fund. Together, everyone raised over 3.4 million dollars