Two years after the Toronto van attack, the trial is set to begin episode artwork

EPISODE · Nov 5, 2020 · 24 MIN

Two years after the Toronto van attack, the trial is set to begin

from This Matters · host Toronto Star

April 23, 2018, marks one of the darkest days in Toronto's history. On a sunny afternoon, 25-year-old Alek Minassian drove a full-size van down Yonge Street and onto the sidewalk, hitting pedestrians. 10 people were killed and another 16 people were seriously injured in the attack. Toronto fell into a state of mourning, struggling to understand the violence. Minassian told police officers that his motivation stemmed from the so-called 'incel' subculture. More than two years after the incident, Minassian will be on trial next week, by judge only and done entirely over Zoom. He has admitted to planning and carrying out the attack in a court of law and the Crown says it believes he acted alone in the attack. Whether he committed the act isn't up for legal debate. Alyshah Hasham, Toronto Star's courts and justice reporter, breaks down what the trial will focus on, what Minassian is being tried for, and the complexity of handling a difficult court case over video conferencing.

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Two years after the Toronto van attack, the trial is set to begin

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