Toronto van attack suspect Alek Minassian praised misogynistic 'incel' killer Elliot Rodger in Facebook post

It emerged as police said the 10 dead and 14 wounded were "predominantly" women
The van used was recovered near the scene in Toronto
AP

A van driver accused of killing 10 people by driving into pedestrians in Toronto posted praise for misogynistic killer Elliot Rodger online moments before the attack.

Mr Minassian's Facebook post praised the 22-year-old who killed six people in a shooting rampage through Isla Vista, California in 2014 before turning the gun on himself.

It read: "The Incel Rebellion has already begun! We will overthrow all the Chads and Stacys! All hail the Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger!"

Suspect: Alek Minassian
LinkedIn

The term "incel" refers to a now-banned group on the website Reddit, used by Rodger, where young men discussed their lack of sexual activity and attractiveness to women, often blaming women for the problem.

Toronto Police Detective Sergeant Graham Gibson said the 10 dead and 14 wounded were "predominantly" women.

He said the youngest were in their twenties and the eldest in their eighties.

Toronto van incident - in pictures

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Minassian showed little overt emotion as he made a brief appearance in a Toronto courtroom in a white jumpsuit and handcuffs yesterday.

The judge ordered him detained without bond and scheduled the next hearing for May 10.

Killing spree: Elliot Rodger slaughtered six people in California after posting sinister messages online

"It was like he was playing a video game, trying to kill as many people as possible," said Panna Patel, 42, who stopped by the memorial and had been at the scene a day earlier, getting cash from an ATM as it occurred.

"He was looking people directly in the eye, making eye contact, it was so scary. He wasn't remorseful at all."

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismissed the possibility of terrorism, saying that authorities see no national security element in the case.

He told a news conference that the incident "hasn't changed the overall threat level in Canada", though it occurred as Cabinet ministers from the G7 nations were meeting in Toronto.

Authorities so far had not disclosed a possible motive or cause, though "the incident definitely looked deliberate," Police Chief Mark Saunders told reporters at a late-night news conference.

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