The driver was taken into custody shortly after the incident.
A van struck several pedestrians at an intersection in
Toronto’s North York neighborhood on Monday.
The Toronto Police Operations Centre tweeted Monday afternoon that police were responding to an incident in which a “white van” had struck “numerous pedestrians” at the intersection of Yonge Street and Finch Avenue East just before 1:30 p.m. local time. Initial reports indicated that eight to 10 people may have been injured, though police said it was too early to confirm the “extent of injuries.”
Police said the van mounted the curb, striking several pedestrians, before fleeing the scene, according to City News. Authorities apprehended the vehicle roughly a mile south of the collision, and the driver was taken into custody, a police department spokesperson confirmed to HuffPost. No motive has been reported.
Sunnybrook Hospital confirmed on Twitter that it had received seven victims from the incident at its trauma center.
Aerial footage appeared to show a white van from rental company Ryder that eyewitnesses identified as the vehicle from the incident.
The company said in a statement that it was “aware of an incident involving a Ryder rental van.”
“We are saddened by this tragic event, and our deepest sympathies go out to those impacted,” the company said. “We take the safety and security of our entire fleet very seriously and we are cooperating fully with authorities.”
The area around the collision was closed to traffic on Monday afternoon after the incident. Subway service was also suspended in the area, CNN reported.
Alex Shaker, who was driving southbound on Yonge Street at the time of the incident, told CTV News Channel that he saw the van driving at a high speed on the sidewalk.
“He started going down on the sidewalk and crumbling down people one by one,” Shaker said Monday afternoon, noting that he saw the vehicle hit someone with a stroller.
“He just destroyed so many people’s lives,” he said. “Every single thing that got in his way.”
Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, was briefed on the incident. He said in a statement to reporters: “Our hearts go out to anyone effected. We’re obviously going to have more to learn and more to say in the coming hours.”