These are the victims of Toronto's deadly van attack - Action News
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Toronto

These are the victims of Toronto's deadly van attack

Here is what we know about the 10 people who were killed in the deadly van attack on Yonge Street on Monday.

Toronto police have now revealed the identities of the 10 people killed

10 individual pictures are shown of people killed in the 2018 Toronto van attack.
These are the 10 people killed in the van attack. Top row, from left to right: Anne Marie D'Amico, 30, Dorothy Sewell, 80, Renuka Amarasingha, 45, Munir Najjar, 85, Chul Min (Eddie) Kang, 45, Mary Elizabeth (Betty) Forsyth, 94, Sohe Chung, 22, Andrea Bradden, 33, Geraldine Brady, 83, Ji Hun Kim, 22. (CBC)

A University of Toronto student studying cellular and molecular biology.

A senior who loved to feed the birds.

A chef at a popular downtown Brazilian steakhouse.

These are among the 10 people killed Monday when a white rental van mounted a curb and began running down pedestrians on the sidewalk of a busy stretch of Yonge Street.

The accused driver, 25-year-oldAlekMinassian, has been charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder.

On Friday, police released the names of all 10 deceased victims for the first time.

CBC News is working to learn more about Andrea Bradden, 33 of Woodbridge, Ont.,and Geraldine Brady, 83, of Toronto.

Andrea Bradden, 33, from Woodbridge, Ont., was a graduate of Robert F. Hall Catholic Secondary School. (Twitter)

Here is what we know about the others:

RenukaAmarasingha

On Wednesday morning, the Toronto District School Board identified Amarasinghaas being among the dead.

On the day of the attack she had just completed her first day of work at Earl Haig Secondary School, located near the crime scene, the board said.

JohnMolloy, director of education,saidAmarasinghawas a formerTDSBadult student who had worked as a nutrition services staff member at a number of schools since 2015. She was also a single mother to a young son, for whomthe board says the community has launched a fundraising account.

"It is with heavy hearts that we are learning of the death of aTDSBstaff member whose life was tragically cut short," wrote Molloyin a statement.
Renuka Amarasingha was a single mother who worked for the Toronto District School Board. (Rangika Karunathilake)

RangikaKarunathilake, a friend ofAmarasingha, said Wednesday that she is trying to come to terms with her death.

"She is like a sister to me. I have known her almost 13 years. The last two years she was very close to me," Karunathilake told CBC Toronto.

"This is an unthinkable tragedy. She didn't deserve to die. She didn't deserve to die.How come these things can happen? They shouldn't die on the street. Like animals. I don't even know if animals are dying like this."

Can't believe her friend Renuka is gone

6 years ago
Duration 0:41
Rangka was friends with van attack victim Renuka Amarasingha

Ahangama Rathanasiri of the Toronto Maha Vihara Buddhist Meditation Centre describedAmarasingha as"kind" and "helpful to society."

RathanasirisaidAmarasingha's friends first became alarmed when she did not return homeon Mondayafternoon to look after her son as usual.

"Normally she goes to the school to pick the child. At that time on that day she didn't go to the school, so we knew definitely that she died."

Sohe Chung

Chung, 22, was a student at the University of Toronto, pursuing a bachelor of science in cellular and molecular biology, according to her LinkedIn profile.

"We are deeply saddened that a member of our community has died as a result of this terrible incident," said U of T presidentMeric Gertler in a statement.

Chung also worked in sales at the luxury retailer Holt Renfrew.

Sohe Chung was a student at the University of Toronto and also worked in sales at Holt Renfrew. (LinkedIn)

Anne MarieD'Amico

D'Amico was the first victim to be identified, one day after Monday's attack.

She worked at theU.S.-based investment management firmInvesco. Itsheadquarters are close to the stretch of YongeStreet where the attack took place.
Anne Marie D'Amico worked for an investment management firm in Toronto. (Facebook)

D'Amico has been described by a co-worker as"full of life, loved to travel, loved to help volunteer."

Her family also released a statement saying she had a "a generous heart" and "always did big things for people."

Betty Forsyth

Betty Forsyth, 94,was described by her longtime neighbour Mary Hunt, 84, as a lively person who loved to feed the birds and squirrels on her regular walks through the neighbourhood.

Hunt said a relative of Forsyth called to break the news that her neighbour was among those killed when the van mounted the sidewalkand drove into pedestrians.

Betty Forsyth, 94, was the oldest person to die in Monday's van attack. (Submitted by Robert Forsyth)

ChulMin (Eddie)Kang

Kangwas an employee at the Copacabana restaurant in Toronto.

KevinPanliliowas a distant friend ofKang, who he said had a wife in Korea. Three weeks before the attack,Panliliosaid,Kang, always eager to hang out,sent him a text message asking if he wanted to meet.Panliliowas busy preparing for a trip to Manila and didn't have time to respond.
Chul Min (Eddie) Kang worked as a chef at the Copacabana restaurant in Toronto. (Facebook)

WithKanggone, his friend is now filled with regret.

"I'm sad more I missed out on Eddie because of what our friendship could have been if I responded to his texts, to his phone calls, if I actually took the time to be friends with him as he would have wanted,"Panliliosaid.

"That regret sucks. That feeling of wanting to do something but you didn't and now you wish you had done it," he said.

Panliliohopes people will learn from the tragedy to tell their loved ones theylove them "right now when they have the chance."

EddieChosaidhehas the same feeling of regret for losing touch withKang. They werefriendsin the1990swhen they both attended Mohawk College in Hamilton.

ChodescribedKangas caring, hard-working and dedicated to family.

"He was just a great person to hang out with and a great person to be with," saidCho. "There was a tremendous amount of shock when I found out that he was one of the victims of the incident."

The last timeChosawKangwas when they bumped into each other outside Copacabana a couple of years ago. They exchanged pleasantries and made plans to meet up for drinks or dinner, but never did.

"That is one of the biggest regrets going through my mind right now," saidCho. "I should've met up to catch up, and now I can't."

MunirNajjar

Najjar was a Jordanian citizen visiting Toronto to see his son.

Harry Malawi, a family friend and president of the Jordanian Canadian Society, said Najjarwas with his wife when he was killed.

Munir Najjar, a Jordanian citizen, was in Toronto visiting his son when he died. (May Tartoussy)

He had only been in the countryfor a couple of weeks when the van attack took place, Malawi said. The family is in the midst of a three-day mourning period, he said.

A statement published by family friendAhmad Kamlehdescribed Najjar as having an "unparalleled love of life that was infectious to those who knew him or met him."

Kamlehwrote that Najjar, who lived in Iraq, Jerusalem, the U.S. and Jordan over the course of his life, was a "beloved friend to so many" as well as a husband, father, and grandfather.

"His welcoming smile and warm embrace will be remembered by many for a long, long time," wrote Kamleh.

Ji Hun Kim

Kim, 22, was a South Koreaninternational student at Seneca College.

DorothySewell

Sewellwas on her way to the bank when she was killed.

The 80-year-old spent years working for Sears and volunteered helping other seniors.
Dorothy Sewell, 80, was an avid sports fan and never missed a Blue Jays game. (Submitted by Elwood Delaney)

Her grandson,Elwood Delaney, said she was the"best grandma you could ask for" and had an endless love for sports, especially the Blue Jays and the Maple Leafs.

5 of the injured still critical

Documents from Minassian'sTuesdaycourt appearanceobtained by CBCNewsidentified 13 of the 14 injured.

Minassian is expected to be charged with a total of 16 counts of attempted murder, police said.

The injured identified so far are:

  • Robert Anderson.
  • Mavis Justino.
  • Amir Kiumarsi.
  • Aleksandra Kozhevinikova.
  • Morgan McDougall.
  • Jun Seok Park.
  • Samantha Peart.
  • So Ra.
  • Catherine Riddell.
  • Sammantha Samson.
  • Beverly Smith.
  • Amaresh Tesfamariam.
  • Yunsheng Tian.

SunnybrookHospital told CBCNews that five of the 14 injured remain in critical condition, while three are in serious condition.

Avigil will be held Sunday night to honour the victims of the van attack.CBCNews will have special coverageof the#TorontoStrongvigil in MelLastmanSquare at 7 p.m. ET.

With files from The Canadian Press