Case for accused in London, Ont. vehicle attack put over until June 28
The man accused of targeting Muslims in a deadly vehicle attack in London, Ont. made a brief appearance in court Monday morning one week after his charges were upgraded to include terrorism.
Nathaniel Veltman, 20, is facing four counts of first-degree murder, and one count of attempted murder in the attack that left four members of the Afzaal family dead and a young boy injured.
At his previous court appearance on June, 14, Veltman learned that his charges would be updated to include terrorism under section 82 of the Criminal Code.
Federal and provincial Crown Attorneys informed the court that they had received consent to pursue terrorism proceedings in relation to the June 6, attack.
Monday morning Veltman appeared by video from the Elgin Middlesex Detension Centre (EMDC).
The appearance lasted only a few minutes as the court was told that Veltman was finalizing retaining a lawyer.
The court was told that he is in the process of retaining Toronto lawyer Christopher Hicks as his counsel. Hicks represented one of the accused in the Bandidos murder trial.
The case was put over another week in order for that finalization to take place.
A publication ban has been placed on the proceedings.
Veltman's next appearance will be June 28 and 9:15 a.m. via video in London, Ont.
The deceased have been identified as 46-year-old Salman Afzaal, his 44-year-old wife Madiha, their 15-year-old daughter Yumnah and her 74-year-old grandmother, Talat Afzaal.
Meanwhile the couple’s nine-year-old son Fayez Afzaal has been recovering from serious injuries sustained in the attack.
He was released from hospital early last week to continue his recovery from home.
Fundraising efforts have raised millions in funds for the young man.
Police have alleged that the attack on the evening of June 6, was a planned and premeditated act against Muslims.
The family had been out for an evening walk along Hyde Park Road at South Carriage Road when they were hit by a driver in a black pickup.
None of the charges have been proven in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
A candidate for Germany's key party was beaten up while campaigning for European elections
A candidate for Chancellor Olaf Scholz's center-left party in next month's election for the European Parliament was beaten up and seriously injured while campaigning in an eastern city, the party said Saturday.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Britney Spears 'home and safe' after paramedics responded to an incident at the Chateau Marmont, source tells CNN
A source close to singer Britney Spears tells CNN that the pop star is 'home and safe' after she had a 'major fight' with her boyfriend on Wednesday night at the Chateau Marmont in West Hollywood.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.