Van plows down pedestrians in Toronto leaving 9 dead, 16 injured

[4wheelin]

TORONTO — Tarp-covered bodies littered blood-stained sidewalks after a white rental van plowed into pedestrians along a busy section of Yonge St. on Monday.
Toronto Police reported the driver of a Ryder rental van had been taken into custody just south of the horrifying scene, which stretched from Finch to almost Sheppard Aves. A man was arrested after appearing to point something at police officers.
“We looked up and down the street and saw three or four victims on the ground, with pedestrians helping them,” said witness Saman Tabasinejad, who was standing on Yonge St. when the carnage unfolded. “I feel terrified, I grew up just around here.”
Police say “multiple” pedestrians were hit just before 1:30 p.m. Monday, though they initially reported there were as many as 10 victims. Witnesses say the large white cargo van mounted Yonge St.’s western sidewalk, just south of Finch, appearing to make deliberate attempts to run down pedestrians enjoying the long-overdue spring sunshine.
Another witness, who declined to give his name, saw ordinary citizens leap into action to help the fallen, performing first aid on the badly injured.
A police press conference was planned for 4:30 p.m.
A Global News journalist, Jeremy Cohn, at the scene described it as “bodies all over Yonge St.,” adding “some have been pronounced dead on scene.”
Sunnybrook hospital says it received 10 patients from the scene at its trauma centre. Two of those patients arrived without vital signs and died, five are in critical condition, one is in serious condition and another is in fair condition.
Images from Twitter show Toronto Police surrounding a Ryder van on the sidewalk on Poyntz Ave. south of Sheppard and west of Yonge. A man was taken into custody.Video of the arrest shows the man pointing something at police before he drops it on the ground and is arrested.
Const. Caroline de Kloet says the person arrested is the driver of the vehicle involved. She did not provide details on the identity of the driver or any charges that may be pending.
Taxi driver Agyeman-Badu says he had just dropped off a fare from his Beck cab when he noticed a van being driven on the sidewalk by what he described as a maniac.
“It ran over a fire hydrant and just kept coming. I thought maybe the brakes weren’t working because he kept coming,” he said.
“There was an elderly lady at a bus shelter. She saw him and tried to step aside but she wasn’t so lucky. He pinned her into the shelter and all the glass broke and fell on her.
“She was all cut up and unconscious when I went to help her. The van just kept going.”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.”
Ali Shaker was driving behind the van and said it was a horror show with the vehicle running down person after person.
“At first I thought he was having a heart attack, but he was hitting people one by one. They were going down, I couldn’t believe what I saw,” he said
“He just went up on the sidewalk and kept hitting people and a postbox crumbled into someone. I just couldn’t believe it.”
“I was going to go to Shoppers Drug Mart and I saw this guy driving by and he just went to the sidewalk,” a witness told CP24.
“I was just going to cross and I just jumped back and was going backwards. (The driver) just (had) no control. Everyone was running all over the place. (He was going) over 50-60-70 km. I don’t know.”A waiter at a nearby cafe says he saw several people injured, including a girl who he said appeared to be in serious condition.
Photos from the scene show paramedics treating several people on the sidewalk, where blood stains can be seen. Paramedics from York Region are also assisting.
Toronto’s district fire chief said firefighters responding to the incident helped treat and triage patients at several locations.
“I believe patients were found at three different areas,” Stephan Powell said, noting he did not know how many people had been treated by firefighters.
The TTC has halted subway service between Sheppard and Finch stations and buses are diverting to avoid the area.
The incident occurred as cabinet ministers from the G7 countries were gathered in Toronto to discuss a range of international issues in the run-up to the G7 meeting near Quebec City in June.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed his sympathies for those involved.
“Our hearts go out to everyone affected,” Trudeau said in Ottawa. “We are going to have more to learn and more to say in the coming hours.”Mayor John Tory issued a statement about “a very tragic incident at Yonge St.”
“My thoughts are with those affected by this incident and the frontline responders who are working to help those injured.
“I have offered any and all assistance that the city can provide to police to help this investigation,” he said, adding he was en route to Mel Lastman Square.
Premier Kathleen Wynne said her thoughts were with those affected.
“We’re following the situation closely — working with our federal and municipal partners. Thank you to the first responders caring for victims and witnesses.”
Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford also weighed in.
“Our thoughts are with the victims and those affected,” he said on Twitter. “Thank you to the brave EMS and first responders who are working tirelessly to help.”

[ilan]

Tragic, senseless situation.