Man who killed 4 members of Muslim family in London, Ont. given 5 life sentences in prison
A London, Ont. judge has handed down her sentence in the case of Nathaniel Veltman, convicted of killing four members of a Muslim family and seriously injuring a young boy in June of 2021.
Veltman, 23, was found guilty in November of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder for hitting the Afzaal family with his truck while they were out for a walk on June 6, 2021.
Talat Afzaal, 74, her son Salman, 46, his wife Madiha, 44, and their 15-year-old daughter Yumnah were all killed while their then nine-year-old son was seriously injured.
Justice Renee Pomerance ruled Thursday that Veltman’s actions “constitutes terrorist activity.”
Pomerance gave Veltman four life sentences for the deaths of four members of the Afzaal family. She also delivered a life sentence for the attempted murder conviction of the Afzaal’s then nine-year-old son, bringing the total to five life sentences in prison.
An offender serving life for first-degree murder is eligible for full parole 25 years after the date they were taken into custody, which was June 6, 2021.
Addressing the court, Pomerance said she is not using Veltman’s name during sentencing because she does not want to give others like him a platform, and is only referring to him as the offender.
She added that it was a planned and deliberate attack meant to intimidate a segment of the public, and said Veltman is a self-proclaimed white nationalist with offensive and racist views.
"It is an inescapable conclusion that the offender committed a terrorist act," she told the court.
Sentencing got underway at 10 a.m. at London’s courthouse where Veltman was seen seated in the prisoner’s box wearing a black suit.
The main courtroom was full, with an overflow courtroom needing to be utilized.
Justice Renee Pomerance hands down her sentence in the case of Nathaniel Veltman, 23, following his conviction in the deaths of four members of the Afzaal family in London, Ont. on Feb. 22, 2024. (Source: John Mantha)
Afzaal family statement
In a written statement from the Afzaal family, the family first thanked “everyone who worked towards this decision,” including the judge, courtroom employees in London and Windsor, London police, and their fellow Canadians.
Hearing the sentence read out loud in court on Thursday, the Afzaal family said they feel “both a hollowness and a storm brewing within.”
“We don’t know if it’s closure or justice. What we do know is that the verdict will not bring back what was stolen. It will not mend the fractured pieces of our lives, our identity, and our security,” the statement reads.
The family acknowledges that physical and emotional scars will remain, but that they refuse to reply to an act of hatred with more hate. Instead, they said they will choose to honour of the memory of the family “by fighting for a world where such tragedies never have to happen again.”
The statement went on to acknowledge the terrorism designation delivered by the judge, and that hate was responsible for claiming the lives of Talat, Salman, Madiha and Yumnah. The family said such hatred does not exist in a vacuum, and instead thrives in whispers, prejudices and a “normalized fear of the other.”
“The hate hidden in plain sight was normalized by the unchallenged belief that a racial hierarchy exists in Canada,” the statement reads.
The trial however wasn’t just about one solitary act, the family said, and instead serves as a reminder of the fault lines that run through society, and the stereotypes that can erupt into violence.
While the verdict does offer a semblance of justice, the family said their work does not end here.
Members of the Afzaal family speak to the media outside London, Ont.'s courthouse following the sentencing of Nathaniel Veltman on Feb. 22, 2024. (Daryl Newcombe/CTV News London)“We all have a responsibility to carry,” the family said. “During this trial, we [learned] that this hate is not just a threat to the Muslim community, not even just to the London community. Hate is a societal enemy that threatens the very core of family values.”
The family implores people to not just condemn hatred, but to outright confront it. They said this can be accomplished by dismantling systems that allow hatred to thrive and by actively challenging narratives that fuel it.
In order to accomplish this, the family said bridges of solidarity must be built with different communities, churches, other faith groups, cultural communities, and “everyone across the spectrum of society.”
“A true victory lies in creating a Canada where everyone feels safe, respected and valued, regardless of who they are or what they believe,” the statement reads. “This is the Canada we strive for, and the world Our London Family deserved.”
In the final part of their written statement, the Afzaal family addressed Veltman directly.
“Your hate may have taken four beautiful lives and almost a fifth, but it will not win,” the family said. “As Canadians, we will always rise above, stronger and united.”
This is a breaking news story. More to come.
-- With files from CTV News London’s Nick Paparella and CTV News Windsor's Michelle Maluske
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Sick to my stomach': People grieve Jasper National Park by sharing favourite photos
As an out-of-control wildfire roared through Alberta’s famed Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday, many are fearing the worst as officials warned of 'significant loss' within the area.
DEVELOPING Jasper wildfire burns buildings, while poor air quality forces some fire crews out
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
Canadian women's soccer team staffer given suspended prison sentence over drone incident, prosecutor says
A Canada women's soccer team staffer has been given an eight-month suspended prison sentence after flying a drone to film the closed-door training session of the New Zealand team on Monday, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.
Sale of envoy's NYC condo 'expected to exceed' $9M: government
The current official residence for Canada's representative in New York City is 'being readied for sale,' according to a spokesperson from Global Affairs Canada.
'I'm so broke': Two Toronto women speak out after losing $76,000 in romance scam
Two women from the Toronto area are speaking out after losing thousands of dollars to a romance scam, including a single mother who lost $62,000.
Barrie-Innisfil MPP 'blacked-out' and crashed car into window of child care centre
Staff at a Barrie child care centre say they are frustrated by what they call a local MPP's inadequate response after a car crashed through a window in one of the toddler rooms.
Loblaw to settle class action over bread price-fixing for $500 million
Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. say they have agreed to pay $500 million to settle a pair of class-action lawsuits regarding their involvement in an alleged bread price-fixing scheme.
EXCLUSIVE One address, 76 foreign currency dealers: Inside Canada's money service business 'clusters'
An IJF and CTV News investigation has found dozens of cases across Canada where multiple money services businesses (MSBs) are incorporated at the same address, sometimes without the knowledge or consent of the location's actual occupant. One money laundering expert calls it an 'abuse of the system.'
An unwelcome attendee has joined the Paris Olympic Games: COVID-19
After a handful of Australian water polo players tested positive for COVID-19 this week, questions have emerged around how the spread of the disease will be mitigated at the Summer Olympic Games in Paris.