WARNING: This story contains offensive and disturbing content.
In a newly released police interview, accused Toronto van attacker Alek Minassian suggests that a lack of attention from women is what pushed him to take action.
Investigators allege the 26-year-old killed 10 people and injured 16 others as he plowed a rental van into them along Yonge Street in April of last year. Eight women and two men died in the attack. The victims' ages ranged between 22 and 94 years old.
Minassian was taken into police custody shortly after officers were called to the scene.
In June of this year, a decision to proceed with a judge-only trial in Minassian’s case was made. The trial is expected to get underway in February 2020.
In a four-hour interview with police, recorded just hours after the attack, the Richmond Hill man tells police his problems with women began as early as 2013 when he went to a Halloween house party.
"I walked in and attempted to socialize with some girls, however, they all laughed and held the arms of the big guys instead," Minassian told Det. Robert Thomas. "I was angry they would give their love and attention to obnoxious brutes."
Minassian speaks to police in a newly released video taken just hours after the attack. (Supplied)
"I started thinking it was unfair that certain guys will not get any love and affection from girls."
After that experience, Minassian said, he started to visit chat rooms and began talking to like-minded men, who also expressed frustration with what they called "involuntary celibacy." The online subculture blames women for the loneliness of men.
Sexually-active women are described in this subculture as "Stacys" and attractive men are called "Chads."
Read more: Explaining incel slang used by Alek Minassian during interrogation
"Involuntary celibacy means this wasn't your choice," Minassian told police. "Essentially (you) have been thrown into true force loneliness and you are unable to lose your virginity."
"This is especially painful for young males."
Alek Minassian is seen in this undated photo. (Facebook)
Minassian told police he drew inspiration from misogynist killer Elliot Rodger, who murdered six people in a shooting and stabbing spree while injuring several others with his vehicle in Isla Vista, Calif. in May 2014.
"He founded the entire movement," Minassian said. "It’s basically a movement of angry incels, such as myself, who are unable to get laid, therefore we want to overthrow the Chads."
"I felt it was time to take action and not just sit on the sidelines and just fester in my own sadness."
In the interview, Minassian said he thought about the rebellion for a long time, but only planned an attack a month before, by reserving the rental van.
"And then I just simply wait until today. I go rent the van and then drive it, take it to downtown Toronto and I just start using it as a weapon," Minassian said.
The white van barreled down Yonge Street from Finch Avenue to Sheppard Avenue, mounting the sidewalks, striking pedestrians.
"This is the day of retribution, that's the only thing that's in my mind, it's just burning in my mind."
The van used in the attack is seen in this photo. (The Canadian Press)
Minassian said in the interview that he didn’t plan to target Yonge Street and Finch Avenue.
"And then as soon as I saw pedestrians, I just decided to go for it," he said.
"I floor the pedal, I speed the van toward them and I allow the van to collide with them. Some people get knocked down on the way, some people roll over the top of the van."
The damaged white van is seen in this photo. (The Canadian Press)
Minassian told police he only stopped the van because a drink splashed on the windshield and he could no longer see.
"I saw the cops approaching so I decided to pull over and get out of the van," he said.
"I hear the cop screaming at me to get out so I get out and I point my wallet at the cop with the intent for it to be confused as a gun so that I could be fatally shot."
"I ended up being ordered to the ground so I knew at that point he’s not going to shoot me."
Minassian told police he wanted to be fatally shot. (Supplied)
Not long after Minassian was arrested, a Facebook post containing militaristic language emerged that was allegedly written by him.
The online post, which appeared on the account for a user named Alek Minassian, read: "The Incel Rebellion has already begun! We will overthrow all the Chads and Stacys! All hail the Supreme Gentleman Elliot Rodger!"
Minassian faces 10 counts of first-degree murder and 16 counts of attempted murder.
The attack claimed the lives of:
Beutis Renuka Amarasingha, 45
Andrea Bradden, 33
Geraldine Brady, 83
So He Chung, 22
Anne Marie D’Amico, 30
Mary Elizabeth Forsyth, 94
Ji Hun Kim, 22
Dorothy Sewell, 80
Chul ‘Eddie’ Min Kang, 45
Munir Abdo Habib Najjar, 85
None of the allegations has been proven in court.
