Cause of death for 4 Muslim family members hit by truck in London, Ont., was ‘multiple trauma,’ jurors told

Kate Dubinski · CBC News

· Posted: Sep 27, 2023 6:14 PM EDT | Last Updated: 9 hours ago

Warning: This story contains distressing details.

The cause of death for the four members of a Muslim family who were killed after they were struck by a pickup truck in London, Ont., on June 6, 2021, was “multiple trauma.”

At the trial of Nathaniel Veltman, 22, jurors in Ontario Superior Court in Windsor were told Wednesday that lawyers for the defence and prosecution agree on how the Afzaals died and that the accused drove the truck that struck them.  

The courtroom was silent during a reading-in of the facts by Sarah Shaikh, one of the prosecutors. It’s the third week of proceedings in what is expected to be an eight-week trial. 

Yumnah Afzaal, 15, her parents Madiha Salman, 44, and Salman Afzaal, 46, and family matriarch Talat Afzaal, 74, were killed while they were out for a walk with a nine-year-old boy, who survived. 

“Talat Afzaal likely died on impact,” said Shaikh. “She suffered blunt force injuries to her head, torso and extremities, with fractures and internal bleeding. Her cause of death is multiple trauma.” 

The accused was arrested in the hours following the attack. He’s charged with four counts of first-degree murder, one count of attempted murder and terrorism counts, and has pleaded not guilty.

Veltman told police after his arrest that he targeted the family because they were Muslim, a determination he made because they were wearing traditional Pakistani clothing, according to earlier evidence presented at the trial. 

Prosecutors allege he was motivated by far-right ideology and planned the attack. 

Salman Afzaal and Madiha Salman also had blunt force injuries to their heads, torsos and extremities, along with fractures and internal bleeding, court heard. Yumnah Afzaal’s blunt force injuries were predominantly to her torso, along with fractures and internal bleeding.  

The jury previously heard that the pickup truck’s gas pedal was compressed 100 per cent when it struck the family. 

Officer at surrender scene cross-examined

Earlier on Wednesday, Const. Sarah Cochrane, who began testifying on Tuesday, was cross-examined by defence lawyer Christopher Hicks.

Cochrane was the London police officer who first happened upon the accused in the Cherryhill Mall parking lot where he surrendered.

She told Hicks she searched the accused even though a male police officer arrived shortly after her because she was worried about what the suspect might do.

“I did not want to allow for a change in the dynamic of what was happening,” she said. “If he had a weapon, he could have used that weapon or he could have gotten up and run away.” 

The rest of the day was taken up by legal arguments without the jury present. Those arguments are covered under a publication ban. 

The trial continues Thursday.