'Heinous crime': Mother of accused in London, Ont. truck attack speaks out
The mother of the man accused of running down a London family with his pickup truck, killing four and severely injuring a nine-year-old boy, calls it a "heinous crime."
Alysia Bisset, the mother of 20-year-old Nathaniel Veltman, responded in an e-mail saying she is “deeply grieved” — and is praying for the victims.
“I am deeply grieved by the heinous crime that was committed this last weekend,” wrote Alysia Bisset in an e-mailed statement to CTV News Toronto.
“I am praying for the victims and the family members of the victims and my heartfelt prayers will continue for all that are affected by this tragedy,” she wrote.
Salman Afzaal, his wife Madiha Salman, their daughter Yumna Afzaal and Afzaal’s 74-year old mother Talat were killed on Sunday night as they were out for a stroll. Nine-year-old Fayez Afzaal survived, but remains in hospital.
London police have said they were targeted because they were Muslims, and the attack was motivated by hate.
One witness said Veltman was wearing a swastika on his shirt and was laughing when he was arrested. Veltman has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
Veltman appeared in court briefly in London on Thursday morning. He was wearing a face mask and an orange jumpsuit as he appeared by video link from Elgin-Middlesex Detention Centre.
He gave short, clear answers to the judge when asked. He has not yet retained a lawyer. The hearing was put over until Monday.
Troubled individuals can find racial or radical ideologies attractive because it can give them a sense of community, sociology professor Lorne Dawson of the University of Waterloo said.
“The evidence on the whole suggests many have troubled lives,” said Dawson. “They are seeking certainty and a dramatic sense of purpose.”
Others advised caution as there is much still unknown about the attack and the accused attacker.
“The question still remains: why this Muslim family, why was he dressed a certain way? There might be other ideological parameters at play,” said religion professor Amaranth Amarasingam of Queen’s University.
Tributes continue to pour in for the Afzaals as flowers mount at the London memorial for them. An online fundraiser for the family has crested $700,000, according to organizers.
None of the charges has been proven in court.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
BREAKING Ottawa public school board, 3 Toronto-area school boards launch lawsuit against social media giants
The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and three school boards in the Toronto-area have launched legal action against social media giants, accusing them of "disrupting students' fundamental right to education."
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 mm among weather alerts in effect for 7 provinces
Rainfall warnings of up to 90 millimetres, air quality advisories and other alerts have been issued for seven Canadian provinces, according to the latest forecasts.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.
A Nigerian woman reviewed some tomato puree online. Now she faces jail
A Nigerian woman who wrote an online review of a can of tomato puree is facing imprisonment after its manufacturer accused her of making a “malicious allegation” that damaged its business.
Donald Trump assails judge and his daughter after gag order in N.Y. hush-money criminal case
Donald Trump lashed out Wednesday at the New York judge who put him under a gag order that bars him from commenting publicly about witnesses, prosecutors, court staff and jurors in his upcoming hush-money criminal trial.
A fight to protect the dignity of Michelangelo's David raises questions about freedom of expression
Michelangelo's David has been a towering figure in Italian culture since its completion in 1504. But in the current era of the quick buck, curators worry the marble statue's religious and political significance is being diminished.
Doctors visiting a Gaza hospital are stunned by the war's toll on Palestinian children
An international team of doctors visiting a hospital in central Gaza was prepared for the worst. But the gruesome impact Israel’s war against Hamas is having on Palestinian children still left them stunned.
What new auto insurance reforms will mean for Ontarians, if they get introduced
Ontario has among the highest rates for auto insurance premiums in Canada -- just below Alberta and Nova Scotia -- however, the introduction of an insurance reform in the provincial budget could soon lower prices.