Conviction of Canadian man in the killing of Muslim family sets precedent

The Ontario jury convicted Nathaniel Veltman of four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder in the 2021 truck attack on a Muslim family. The 22-year-old’s conviction came after a 10-week trial and six hours of deliberation. The mother of one of the victims, Tabinda Bukhari, expressed that the verdict does not bring back their loved ones but is a recognition that the perpetrator intended to instil fear and terror. The Afzaal family, along with their 15-year-old daughter, were killed during an evening walk in suburban London, Ontario. A 9-year-old boy was also injured in the attack. Veltman previously pleaded not guilty, but a conflicting claim states that he told police he was planning on killing and admitted it was terrorism. Veltman is due back in court on Dec. 1 to receive a sentencing hearing date. His lawyer expressed that Veltman was shocked and absorbing the idea of at least 25 years in prison.