What Happened ... Toronto Van Attack, Part 1

What happened in this episode of the Global News podcast... Erica Vella revisits the story of Toronto's van attack.

Cathy Riddell has lived in the Yonge and Finch district of Toronto for over 60 years. The area she says is surrounded by her familiar faces, shops and restaurants.

"I know the area very well .... It's a safe place," she said. "I know where all the stores are, where all the restaurants are .... It's home."

On a warm Monday in April 2018, Liddell was eager to get out and do his errands in the sunshine.

"It was the first good day of the year and I was very happy to be there because everyone was out on the street," she said.

But her day was interrupted when a white rental van caused havoc in the neighborhood she called her home.

On April 23, 2018, a white rental van installed a sidewalk at the southwest corner of the intersection of Younge and Finch streets and moved a few blocks south

Liddell was sacrificed. Was one of the people. She was struck by a van while walking down Yonghe Street.

"The last thing you're expecting is someone cruising the sidewalk," she said.

"The worst thing I thought I would get off the sidewalk would be a little out of control biker or something."

Read more:A van attacker in Toronto was sentenced to life in prison for 25 years without the possibility of parlor

1:27 pm, 911 The first call was made. The attack lasted about seven minutes as witnesses watched in fear while an innocent bystander was attacked by a white van.

Insp. When Graham Gibson began listening to chatter about the attack, he said he was waiting as a detective sergeant in the murder squad of the Toronto police and decided to go to the scene to start an investigation.

"One of our main goals was to get (injured) people out of the sideways and streets," Gibson said. "It's scary to see."

"When you appear as a member of a murder, other officers and members are looking at you to give you some control over the scene." Said Gibson.

"You may feel it internally, and I did, but you stay calm and try to focus on what your job is."

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After driving 2.2 km, the van stopped at Points Avenue. The driver to see. The driver got out of the van.

Read more: Victims of the Toronto Van Attack, Family Ready to Hear Judgment

Tragedy For the victims who died on the day they sank the Toronto community in sorrow and sorrow.

Liddell had little memory of what happened on the day of the attack.

"I was a little in and out and apparently talking to people, but I don't remember anything about that," she said. "Somehow my heart blocked it all."

When her brother in Liddell tried to explain to her what happened that day, she was all that I didn't believe I would do such a terrible thing.

"I couldn't believe it would happen in this city ... and I believed that everyone could do it to strangers," Liddell said.

What happened in this episode of Global News ... , Erica Bella revisits the Toronto Van Attack and speaks to the victims who were heavily affected by the attack. She also talks to Insp. Graham Gibson, along with reporter Catherine McDonald, begins to unravel his experience as a detective in the field and the motives behind the driver's attack.

Contact:

Email: erica.vella@globalnews.ca

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