Toronto van attacker sentenced to life in prison, with no parole for 25 years

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TORONTO — The man responsible for Toronto’s deadly 2018 van attack has been sentenced to life in prison with no chance of parole for 25 years.

Alek Minassian has also been sentenced to 20 years for 15 counts of attempted murder, which are to be served concurrently.

He was found guilty last year of 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder.

Eight women and two men died on April 23, 2018, when Minassian, bent on infamy, angered by women who wouldn’t sleep with him and radicalized in the bowels of the internet deliberately drove a rented van down a busy sidewalk.

Another woman died more than three years later from injuries suffered that day.

Court heard dozens of emotional victim impact statements today from those deeply affected by the attack.

Robert Forsyth told the court about his aunt, Betty Forsyth, who he called a “walking library” of family information.

“Her presence and many untold stories are lost forever,” he said, his voice catching, as he stared at Minassian in the prisoner box.

The hearing is the first opportunity victims and families have had to face the killer in person after his judge-alone trial and verdict occurred over videoconference during the pandemic.

Three women who witnessed the attack also spoke about their troubles since that day.

Janet Jiang cried as she spoke about giving CPR to a woman who was hit and watching as she died. Jiang said she has lived with self doubt ever since.

“I replay that day thousands of times, questioning if I could have done things differently and if she would still be here today,” she said.

Justice Anne Molloy’s voice cracked several time as she thanked those who spoke.

“I admire your courage, I am so sorry this happened to you,” the judge who has presided over the case told Jiang.

The sentencing hearing for Minassian — found guilty last year of 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder — was expected to last multiple days with several dozen people affected by the attack.

Betty Forsyth, Ji Hun Kim, So He Chung, Geraldine Brady, Chul Min Kang, Anne Marie D’Amico, Munir Najjar, Dorothy Sewell, Andrea Bradden and Beutis Renuka Amarasingha and Amaresh Tesfamariam died as a result of attack.

First-degree murder carries an automatic life sentence without the ability to apply for parole for 25 years.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 13, 2022.

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