Case of accused killer in London, Ont. attack put over
The man accused of deliberately driving into a Muslim family in London, Ont., killing four and injuring a fifth, made a brief court appearance Thursday morning.
Nathaniel Veltman, 20, who faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, appeared via video in an orange jumpsuit and mask.
The appearance lasted less than five minutes as the case was put over until Monday.
The court heard Veltman needs to apply for legal aid and when asked about legal representation by Hardy & Associates, Veltman said, "I have only spoken to them."
However, as of early Thursday afternoon, Damon Hardy tells CTV News London he is not the lawyer of record and has not been retained.
Fraser Ball and Gen Moser are the Crown attorneys handling the case.
The courtroom was closed to the public and a publication ban has been put in place on the proceedings.
Relatives have identified the deceased as 46-year-old Salman Afzaal, his 44-year-old wife Madiha Salman, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna Salman and her 74-year-old grandmother, Talat Afzaal.
The couple's son, nine-year-old Fayez, was seriously wounded but is expected to recover.
Police have said the attack on Sunday night was a planned and premeditated act that targeted Muslims.
None of the charges have yet been proven in court.
The London Muslim Mosque, which the family belonged to, has called for a national summit on Islamophobia between all levels of government.
Prominent local lawyer speaks
A London lawyer and member of the Muslim community, Faisal Joseph, was at the courthouse to see the proceedings first hand, though he is not involved in the case.
"So I came down here personally but for me it was more emotional. When you see the accused you have to suppress any negative feelings and I was trying to be uplifted by remembering what had occurred at the rally at the Mosque and thousands of people coming together and unifying to stamp out any type of hate anywhere in the city."
Observing the proceedings, Joseph says the suspect, "was small in stature, he didn't appear like he was concerned, he was quite stoic, so that surprised me a little bit. It wasn't what I expected to see."
Veltman was remanded in custody pending his next court appearance.
Joseph says the proceedings could be a lengthy process, and the publication ban is typical in these kinds of cases.
"He’s got to retain counsel. Once that starts the legal process starts. There will be motions there will be preliminary inquiries, there will be judicial pre-trials, there will be meetings with the Crown. If he doesn’t plead guilty, the accused, then in this case it’s going to take probably two to three years to go through the entire system."
Joseph says many tears have been shed in his household in recent days, as his family grapples with what happened.
"You would think nothing good can come out of something so horrific, but if we’re able to stamp out hatred and hate crimes and Islamophobia and any hatred of any group this will be a legacy for those people that paid the ultimate price for going for a walk with their family during COVID."
If you need mental health help in the wake of the London, Ont. vehicle attack, support and resources are available here.
- With files from The Canadian Press
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
Full parole granted to man convicted in notorious 'McDonald's murders' in Cape Breton
The Parole Board of Canada has granted full parole to one of three men convicted in the brutal murders of three McDonald's restaurant workers in Cape Breton more than 30 years ago.
Incident on Calgary's Reconciliation Bridge comes to safe resolution
Nearly 20 hours after a man climbed and remained perched on top of the Reconciliation Bridge in downtown Calgary, the situation came to a peaceful resolution.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.