Witnesses to Monday's van attack on Yonge paint horrific scene
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Complete chaos.
That’s how those with a front-row seat to Monday afternoon’s two-kilometre rampage along Yonge St. described the horrifying spectacle that unfolded before them.
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Mahyar Tahmasebi was at work in a restaurant along Yonge St. at Empress Ave. when panicked customers started streaming inside.
“He ran inside, saying, ‘It is happening,'” he said of one customer.
Going outside, Tahmasebi described seeing police encircling a badly damaged white Ryder rental van — and the frantic people left in its wake.
Toronto Police with a Ryder van believed to have hit multiple pedestrians on Yonge St. in Toronto on April 23, 2018. (Craig Robertson/Toronto Sun)
An orange tarp covers a body on Yonge St. after a van ran down pedestrians on April 23, 2018. (Stan Behal/Toronto Sun)
A Ryder van believed to have hit multiple pedestrians on Yonge St. in Toronto on April 23, 2018. (Ross McLean)
An unidentified body is seen near the crime scene after a truck hit several pedestrians in Toronto, Ontario, on on April 23, 2018. LARS HAGBERG/AFP/Getty Images
Emergency services close Yonge Street in Toronto after a van mounted a sidewalk crashing into a number of pedestrians on Monday, April 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Vincent Elkaim
Emergency services close Yonge Street in Toronto after a van mounted a sidewalk crashing into a number of pedestrians on Monday, April 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Vincent Elkaim
A body lies covered on the sidewalk in Toronto after a van mounted a sidewalk crashing into a number of pedestrians on Monday, April 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Vincent Elkaim
An injured person is put into the back of an ambulance in Toronto after a van mounted a sidewalk crashing into a number of pedestrians on Monday, April 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Aaron Vincent Elkaim
A man is taken into custody after pedestrians were struck on Yonge St. in Toronto on April 23, 2018. (@FTV_Huazhang)
Police officers stand near a body that is covered up after it was hit after a truck drove up on the curb and hit several pedestrians in Toronto, Ontario, on April 23, 2018. A man drove a white rental van into a crowd of pedestrians in the center of Canada's biggest city Toronto on April 23, 2018,. LARS HAGBERG/AFP/Getty Images
First responders close down Yonge Street in Toronto after a van mounted a sidewalk crashing into a number of pedestrians on Monday, April 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Police officers secure an area around a covered body in Toronto after a van mounted a sidewalk crashing into a number of pedestrians on Monday, April 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
Toronto police talk to a woman after a van mounted a sidewalk crashing into a number of pedestrians in Toronto on Monday, April 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Shoes lay in the street as first responders secure the area in Toronto after a van mounted a sidewalk crashing into a number of pedestrians on Monday, April 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Police officers secure an area around a covered body in Toronto after a van mounted a sidewalk crashing into a number of pedestrians on Monday, April 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
A van with a damaged front-end is shown on a sidewalk after a van mounted a sidewalk crashing into a number of pedestrians in Toronto on Monday, April 23, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Frank Gunn
9 people were killed on Yonge Street between Finch and Sheppard in Toronto's North York area after a van struck dozens of people this afternoon, on Monday April 23, 2018. Stan Behal/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
9 people were killed on Yonge Street between Finch and Sheppard in Toronto's North York area after a van struck dozens of people this afternoon, on Monday April 23, 2018. Stan Behal/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
9 people were killed on Yonge Street between Finch and Sheppard in Toronto's North York area after a van struck dozens of people this afternoon, on Monday April 23, 2018. Stan Behal/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
9 people were killed on Yonge Street between Finch and Sheppard in Toronto's North York area after a van struck dozens of people this afternoon, on Monday April 23, 2018. Stan Behal/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
Ten people were killed on Yonge Street between Finch and Sheppard Avenues in Toronto's North York area after a van struck dozens of people Monday, April 23, 2018. (Stan Behal/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network)
9 people were killed on Yonge Street between Finch and Sheppard in Toronto's North York area after a van struck dozens of people this afternoon, on Monday April 23, 2018. Stan Behal/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
9 people were killed on Yonge Street between Finch and Sheppard in Toronto's North York area after a van struck dozens of people this afternoon, on Monday April 23, 2018. Stan Behal/Toronto Sun/Postmedia Network
Alek Minassian, 25, of Richmond Hill, is charged in the deadly van massacre on Yonge St. in Toronto. (LinkedIn)
Police at a Richmond Hill house believed to be the residence of Toronto van attack suspect Alek Minassian. (Joe Warmington/Toronto Sun)
People leave messages of condolence at a makeshift memorial near Yonge and Finch on April 23, 2018 after the van attack. (EXimages/WENN.com)
People leave messages of condolence at a makeshift memorial near Yonge and Finch on April 23, 2018 after the van attack. (EXimages/WENN.com)
People attend a makeshift memorial near Yonge and Finch on April 23, 2018 after the van attack. (EXimages/WENN.com)
People leave messages of condolence at a makeshift memorial near Yonge and Finch on April 23, 2018 after the van attack. (EXimages/WENN.com)
People attend a makeshift memorial near Yonge and Finch on April 23, 2018 after the van attack. (EXimages/WENN.com)
Toronto and York police at the Minassian home at 27 Elmsley Dr. in Richmond Hill on Tuesday, April 24, 2018. (Chris Doucette/Toronto Sun)
Toronto and York police at the Minassian home at 27 Elmsley Dr. in Richmond Hill on Tuesday, April 24, 2018. (Chris Doucette/Toronto Sun)
Alek Minassian from Thornlea Secondary School's yearbook.
Alek Minassian from Thornlea Secondary School's yearbook.
Alek Minassian from Thornlea Secondary School's yearbook.
Vahe Minassian is escorted out of the 1000 Finch Court by police officers on Tuesday April 24, 2018 after his son Alek Minassian was charged with 10 counts of first degree and 13 counts of attempted murder in the van attack on Yonge Street at Finch. (Stan Behal/Toronto Sun)
Alek Minassian appears before justice of the peace Stephen Waisberg in 1000 Finch Ave. W. Court on April 24, 2018. (Sketch by Pam Davies)
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Those who were there painted a ghastly scene — a beautiful, long overdue spring day that was shattered as the driver — identified by Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders as 25-year-old Alek Minassian — tore a brutal path south along the sidewalk, seemingly steering toward pedestrians as they dodged and dived out of the way.
As the van continued south, passersby reportedly made heroic attempts to save the injured and dying, performing first aid and CPR on those strewn across the sidewalk.
As anarchy unfolded, scores of ambulances, fire trucks, police vehicles and TTC security officers lined Yonge St. from the Mel Lastman Square area north to Finch Ave. — a scene made all the more surreal by the silent onlookers and helicopters whirring overhead.
Tarp-covered bodies, shattered bus shelters and damaged fire hydrants bore evidence to the van’s deadly route — along with discarded shopping bags atop blood-stained concrete.
Declining to give his name, a witness described seeing the wrecked van come to a stop on the sidewalk along a row of shops on Poyntz Ave., followed soon after by a Toronto Police officer who roared to a halt alongside and ordered him to get out.
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Bystander video showed the suspect with a black object in his hand — described as a handgun by eyewitnesses, but not confirmed as such by police — brandishing it at the officer, who ordered him to get to the ground.
“It happened very fast,” the witness said.
“He didn’t make it more than 40 or 50 feet.”
Police managed to subdue the suspect and took him into custody without further incident.
Saman Tabasinejad had just finished eating lunch when the attack took place, witnessing the aftermath from the east side of Yonge St. south of Finch.
“It was the first sunny day we’ve had in what felt like years. People were just so happy to be outside,” she said, her eyes filing with tears.
“I feel fortunate that I’m OK, but I’m also extremely heartbroken because this is my home — I live here. I’m just really shaken up.”
She said Willowdale residents she’s spoken to are scared, and like everybody else need to know how this tragedy happened, and why.
Joseph Head was working in the area when he heard the commotion and found a chaotic scene all along Yonge St.
“It was just a horrific, horrific scene,” he said.
What struck Head the most as he surveyed the scene were the shoes lying on the sidewalk, separated from their owners as they were struck by the van.
“A loved one will recognize those shoes — shoes no longer attached to a person,” he said.
“It’s just horrific.”
On Twitter: @bryanpassifiume
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