Memorial to victims of Toronto van attack continues to grow

TORONTO — Much of the yellow police tape is gone, a subway station has reopened, and a stretch of Yonge Street in north-end Toronto where a van was used to run down pedestrians on Monday afternoon has been fully reopened to traffic.

But police say they still have an “investigative presence” in the area where 10 people were killed and more than a dozen injured and are asking people to avoid the area unless they live there or have business in the area.

A police statement added: “We ask this just for the next few days.”

However, police activity and a light rain on Tuesday night failed to deter grieving residents from visiting a growing memorial site honouring the victims of Monday’s carnage.

Hundreds of notes expressing both sorrow and hope have been written on dozens of poster boards lining a low wall amid flickering candles and bouquets of flowers.

Alek Minassian, 25, is charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder. Police said a 14th attempted murder charge would be laid following further investigation.

Authorities have not yet released the names of the 10 people killed, but other sources say the dead include Anne Marie D’Amico, who worked at an investment firm in the area.

Dorothy Sewell’s grandson identified her as one of the victims and Seneca College said a female student was among those killed. A South Korean news agency said two Korean nationals were killed and Jordan’s state-run news agency said one of that country’s citizens died.

Ontario’s Chief Coroner Dirk Huyer said Tuesday that investigators have yet to formally identify those killed, citing the complexity of the investigation and the sheer size of the crime scene.

In the meantime, Toronto Mayor John Tory said Tuesday that while residents may be shaken, they have not been broken.

“Toronto was a great city yesterday, it is a great city today and it will be a great city tomorrow,” Tory declared.