Elwood Delaney (Image Credit: CFJC Today. File Photo.)

By James Peters

Toronto van attack

Kamloops grandson of Toronto van attack victim calls guilty verdict ‘a sigh of relief’

Mar 3, 2021 | 11:38 AM

KAMLOOPS — A Supreme Court judge has found the man who carried out the 2018 van attack in Toronto guilty on all counts.

This morning, Justice Anne Molloy declared Alek Minassian guilty of 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder. Under Canadian law, Minassian will receive a minimum of 10 life sentences with no chance of parole for 25 years.

One of the victims of the April 23, 2018 attack was 80-year-old Dorothy Sewell. Her grandson, Kamloops resident Elwood Delaney, was watching as Molloy delivered her verdict Wednesday (Mar. 3).

“It was kind of a sigh of relief,” Delaney told CFJC Today. “We can now put the court portion of it behind us and kind of close that chapter and more just deal with the grieving of Nan not being around.”

Minassian’s lawyer had asked Molloy for a verdict of not criminally responsible (NCR) due to Minassian’s autism diagnosis, but the judge rejected that argument, saying the attacker could still determine the difference between right and wrong.

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“The Supreme Court judge, how she explained everything and went through the process of why (she gave) her verdict… She kind of snuffed the autism portion of (the defence argument). I think she did a really good job and the right verdict was put out,” said Delaney.

“Them grasping at autism was kind of just a grasp to try, which I don’t think was right from the get-go. But until court is over, you unfortunately just never know.”

Delaney says, along with the 26 other families impacted by the 2018 attack, they will try to grieve and find some closure.

“Now [we’re] just going to try to get on with a normal life, with one less grandparent and great-grandparent to talk to on a regular basis, which will always be there in the back of our minds,” said Delaney.

“It’s been a long time and this has affected 10 families for murder and 16 others for attempted murder. We can all hopefully just get this portion behind us and move on together.”