Misogyny-Fueled Van Attack Kills 11... Court Sentences Perpetrator to Life Imprisonment

10 Dead Including 2 South Korean Nationals and 16 Injured Mostly Women

The scene of the vehicle ramming incident that occurred in Toronto, Canada, in April 2018

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunju Lee] On the 13th (local time), British local media reported that a man who drove a van and plowed into pedestrians near Koreatown in Toronto, Canada, in April 2018, killing 11 people, was sentenced to life imprisonment.

According to reports, the man named Alec Minassian was already found guilty in March of 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder.

The court judged that he, a self-proclaimed "incel" (involuntary celibate), driven by misogyny, deliberately drove the van onto the sidewalk to kill others. Among the 10 deceased and 16 injured at the time, including two Korean nationals and one Korean-Canadian, most were women. One other person was hospitalized immediately after the incident but died in November last year.

Before the sentencing, the court heard testimonies from witnesses and victims. They spoke about the horrific situation at the time and the post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) they have been experiencing since.