Canadian police said a driver deliberately targeted a muslim family, killing four people and seriously injuring a nine-year-old boy in what has been condemned as an act of Islamophobia.
A 20-year old Canadian, identified as Nathaniel Veltman has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
To the Muslim community in London and to Muslims across the country, know that we stand with you. Islamophobia has no place in any of our communities. This hate is insidious and despicable – and it must stop.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) June 7, 2021
The victims, all members of the same family, ran over on Sunday evening while waiting to cross a street in the city of London, about 200km (124 miles) southwest of Toronto.
“It is believed that these victims were targeted because they were Muslim,” Det Supt Paul Waight told a news conference on Monday.
The victims were two women – aged 74 and 44 – a 46-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl. They have not been named, by the wishes of the family. A nine-year-old boy was in the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, said police.
The suspect, Veltman, was arrested without incident at a shopping center about 6km (4.8 miles) from the crime scene.
Saddened to learn of the killing of a Muslim Pakistani-origin Canadian family in London, Ontario. This condemnable act of terrorism reveals the growing Islamophobia in Western countries. Islamophonia needs to be countered holistically by the international community.
— Imran Khan (@ImranKhanPTI) June 8, 2021
Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan, expressed his grief over the murder of a Muslim family and condemned the act of terrorism which reveals the growing Islamophobia in Western countries. He further stated that Islamophobia needs to be countered holistically by the International community.
