London Mayor Ed Holder was joined by Muslim community leaders, the Premier, the Prime Minister, and the leaders of the federal Conservatives, New Democrats and Greens at last night’s vigil outside the London Muslim Mosque to honour a family left forever changed by a hate-fuelled hit and run.
Police have called Sunday’s tragedy that killed four family members and injured a fifth — all hit by a pickup truck while out for an evening walk — a targeted hate crime.
Mayor Holder called it “an act of mass murder and a grotesque expression of hatred rooted in Islamophobia.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said no words can ease the grief of seeing three generations “murdered in their neighbourhood.”
Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh took the opportunity to make a call to action.
Federal Conservative Leader Erin O’Toole called for a collaborative approach with all level of government.
Earlier in the day, Premier Doug Ford called the act “nothing short of a terrorist attack” while making his statement to the public.
Ford reiterated that notion at the vigil.
The Premier also took the time to thank all those who attempted to help the family.
20 year old Nathaniel Veltman of London has been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one of attempted murder in the deaths of 46 year old Salman Afzaal, his 74 year old mother, 44 year old wife Madiha Salman and 15 year old daughter Yumna Salman.
9 year old Fayez Salman remains in hospital. Two online fundraisers to support Fayez had taken in about 1.3-million dollars as of last night.
