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Crime & Justice • Terrorism

Alek Minassian

Alek Minassian is a Canadian man convicted for the 2018 Toronto van attack, in which he drove a van into pedestrians on a sidewalk in Toronto and killed 10 people.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Alek Minassian is a Canadian man convicted for the 2018 Toronto van attack, in which he drove a van into pedestrians on a sidewalk in Toronto and killed 10 people. He was found guilty of 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder, and sentenced to life imprisonment with no chance of parole for 25 years. The case is one of the deadliest mass killings in modern Canadian history and prompted discussion about public safety, misogynistic extremism, and online radicalization.

Early life

Minassian was born on November 3, 1992, in North York, Ontario, and lived in the Toronto area. Public reporting described him as a resident of Richmond Hill, just north of Toronto.

2018 Toronto van attack

On April 23, 2018, Minassian drove a rented van onto a sidewalk in Toronto and struck pedestrians. The attack killed 10 people and injured others.

Trial and conviction

Minassian pleaded not guilty and argued that he was not criminally responsible because of his mental state. In March 2021, the court found him guilty of 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder.

Sentence

In June 2022, Minassian received a life sentence with no possibility of parole for 25 years. The sentence followed the guilty verdict on all charges.

Key facts

  • Minassian carried out the 2018 Toronto van attack on April 23, 2018.
  • The attack killed 10 people and injured multiple others.
  • He was found guilty on all 26 charges in March 2021.
  • He was sentenced in June 2022 to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years.
  • The case is one of Canada's deadliest mass killings and sparked discussions on extremism.
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Canadian context

The case is a major Canadian criminal case and one of the deadliest mass killings in modern Canadian history. It also prompted wider Canadian discussion about public safety, misogynistic extremism, and online radicalization.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Alek Minassian?
A Canadian man convicted for the 2018 Toronto van attack, in which 10 people were killed and others were injured.
What was Alek Minassian convicted of?
He was convicted of 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder.
When did the Toronto van attack happen?
The attack took place on April 23, 2018.
What sentence did he receive?
He was sentenced to life in prison with no possibility of parole for 25 years.
Was the case treated as terrorism?
The trial resulted in murder and attempted murder convictions, not terrorism charges.

References

  1. BBC News — https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-56269095
    Supports: Guilty verdict on all 26 charges; 10 killings and 16 attempted murder counts.
  2. NPR — https://www.npr.org/2021/03/03/973460622/-no-remorse-torontos-van-attack-killer-found-guilty-of-1st-degree-murder
    Supports: Attack date, killing of 10 people, and guilty verdict on 10 first-degree murder and 16 attempted murder charges.
  3. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2018_Toronto_van_attack
    Supports: Birth date and place, conviction details, and sentencing date and parole term.
  4. The Conversation — https://www.theconversation.com/toronto-van-attack-guilty-verdict-but-canada-still-needs-to-tackle-ideological-violence-156452
    Supports: Verdict on all 26 counts and note that the trial did not involve terrorism charges.