UPDATE: Nine people have been pronounced dead and 16 injured in a frightening attack on one of Toronto's busiest avenues. An investigation into the attack is now underway and is expected to take several days.
9 dead, 16 injured after van strikes pedestrians in Toronto, police say.
— CBC News Alerts (@CBCAlerts) April 23, 2018
Watch Deputy Chief Peter Yuen update media on multipe people struck by van at Yonge and Finch in Toronto. 9 dead. 16 injured. Watch on Facebook Live: https://t.co/RFZQ9KIdB1 ^sm https://t.co/Px5ORBBsdp
— Toronto Police (@TorontoPolice) April 23, 2018
ORIGINAL POST
A van driver has plowed into a group of pedestrians in Toronto, Canada. Police say eight to ten people have been hit. The suspect is in custody.
Collision, numerous pedestrians have been struck by a white van on Yonge St and Finch area. further when I get more. #GO725711 ^gl
— Toronto Police OPS (@TPSOperations) April 23, 2018
CTV News Canada interviewed a witness who described the terrifying scene.
"He started going down on the sidewalk and crumbling down people one by one,” said the witness, Alex Shaker.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shared the following message on Twitter.
Our thoughts are with all those affected by the terrible incident at Yonge and Finch in Toronto. Thank you to the first responders working at the scene – we're monitoring the situation closely.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) April 23, 2018
The motive is still unknown at this time, although officials say it was a deliberate attack.
This is a breaking news post and will be updated accordingly.