What we know so far about those killed in van attack

By News staff, Diana Pereira, and The Canadian Press

Ten people were killed in Monday’s attack when a van plowed through pedestrians on Yonge Street near Finch Avenue.

The driver, Alek Minassian, 25, has been charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder. Court documents identified 13 who were injured.

Sixteen people were injured in the incident and police expect to lay three more charges of attempted murder.

Here’s what we know so far about those who were killed:

 

RENUKA AMARASINGHA

 

Renuka Amarasingha, a staff member at Toronto District School Board (TDSB), has been identified by the school board as one of the victims. A monk at a Buddhist temple says she was the single mother of a seven-year-old.

“It is with heavy hearts that we are learning of the death of a TDSB staff member whose life was tragically cut short during Monday’s horrible events along Yonge Street,” TDSB director of education John Malloy said in a statement.

Amarasingha, 45, had “worked at a number of TDSB schools since 2015, most recently at Earl Haig Secondary School, where she had just finished up her first day.”

 

ANDREA BRADDEN

Bradden was 33 and from Woodbridge.

 

GERALDINE BRADY

Brady was 83 and of Toronto.

 

SO HE CHUNG

 

The University of Toronto says one its students died in the attack, but did not release the student’s name. However, an alumni group associated with Loretto Abbey High School and Loretto Brunswick identified her as So He Chung. The group says Chung attended Loretto Abbey, which is located in North York.

“We are deeply saddened that a member of our community has died as a result of this terrible incident,” U of T president Meric Gertler said in a statement. “We mourn the loss of our student and want those affected to know that they have the support of the university.”

According to The Varsity, a student-run newspaper at the university, Chung, 22, was a molecular biology student and a member of the University of Toronto Korean Students’ Association.

 

ANNE MARIE D’AMICO

Anne Marie D’Amico, 30, was an employee at Invesco, a U.S.-based investment management firm with offices at Yonge and Park Home Avenue.

She had also worked with Tennis Canada and the Badminton & Racquet Club of Toronto. She was an alumnus of Ryerson’s Ted Rogers School of Management.

According to Tennis Canada, D’Amico’s grandmother, mother, father and brother were all volunteers with Rogers Cup and “the D’Amico family have provided a combined 84 years of incredible service for the event.” Tennis Canada also plans to honour her memory and service to the Rogers Cup at this summer’s event.

“Our thoughts and prayers are with Anne Marie’s family and with all those impacted by this tragic event,” Gavin Ziv, vice president of professional events at Tennis Canada, said in a statement.

CityNews sports reporter Danielle Michaud said she knew D’Amico from Tennis Canada. She took to Twitter, saying “My @TennisCanada family lost one of its brightest lights & biggest hearts in Anne Marie D’Amico. I’m devastated for her family … a big, loving, tight-knit group. No words for this tragedy.”

 

MARY ELIZABETH “BETTY” FORSYTH

 

A Toronto woman says her longtime neighbour Betty Forsyth, a woman in her 90s, was one of the victims.

Mary Hunt, 84, says Forsyth’s nephew called her to break the news.

She describes Forsyth as a lively person who loved to feed the birds and squirrels on her regular walks through the neighbourhood.

She was a cancer survivor, the National Post reports.

 

CHUL MIN ‘Eddie’ KANG

 

Chul Min Kang, who goes by the name “Eddie,” was a chef at the Adelaide Street location of Copacabana.

 

JI HUN KIM

Kim was 22 and she was studying in Toronto.

 

MUNIR NAJJAR

Munir Najjar, 85, was a Jordanian citizen, was visiting his family in Toronto with his wife. He had only been in the country for a couple of weeks when the van attack took place, according to Harry Malawi, a family friend and president of the Jordanian Canadian Society.

The family is in the midst of a three-day mourning period, said Malawi.

“They are secluded right now and they ask everybody to accept their privacy,” he said. “We stand together, we want to help the family heal … physically, psychologically, emotionally and financially, they need all the help they can get.”

 

DOROTHY SEWELL

 

Dorothy Sewell, 80, was confirmed to be one of the victims by her grandson, Elwood Delaney.

Delaney released a statement to CityNews saying Dorothy was, “the best grandmother anyone could have asked for. Almost had as much love for the blue jays and leafs as she did for her family.”

Top Stories

Top Stories

Most Watched Today