On part two of the Global News podcast What happened to…? Erica Vella revisits the story of the Toronto van attack and speaks with experts about the investigative interview between the suspect and Toronto Police.
On Apr. 23 2018, a man drove a white rental van down busy sidewalks in Toronto, killing 11 people and injuring 16 others.
The driver was arrested without injury on the day of the attack and was brought in for questioning by Toronto Police.
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The almost three-hour investigative interview between Alek Minassian and Det. Rob Thomas was released publicly in September 2019.
“Ten people died today, fifteen were seriously injured. It’s important to ask, how do you feel about that?,” said Detective Rob Thomas in the interview.
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“I feel like I accomplished my mission,” said Minassian.
At the time of the interview, the driver of the white rental van was facing ten counts of first-degree murder and 15 counts of attempted murder.
“He’s been told, presumably by a lawyer, not to speak to the authorities, and practically and legally speaking, he shouldn’t speak to the authorities.”
However, it was Det. Thomas’ job to get the suspect to speak to him even though he wasn’t obligated to.
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During the interview, the suspect begins to speak about4Chan – an online anonymous image board – where he engaged in conversations with others about his frustrations with women and being a part of the Involuntary Celibate (Incels) community, an underground online community that lives primarily on the dark web.
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“Incels is a movement about involuntary celibacy, male individuals who can’t have sexual relationships with women for various reasons that Mr. Doug goes into,” said Watkins.
The interview was a crucial piece in the trial of the driver that began in November 2020.
During the trial, Minassian had admitted to planning and carrying out the attack, but argued he should be found not criminally responsible for his actions because of his autism spectrum disorder.
The Crown had argued that Minassian is a mass killer who knew right from wrong, and happens to have autism. But the defence argued that because of autism, Minassian never developed empathy, and that lack of empathy left him incapable of rational choice.
On this episode of Global News’ What happened to…?, Erica Vella revisits the Toronto Van Attack and speaks with Watkins who explains details and tactics used in the investigative interview with the driver. She also learns more about the trial and continues her conversation with survivor, Cathy Riddell.
– With Files from the Canadian Press.
Contact:
Email: erica.vella@globalnews.ca
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