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Man charged in fatal London, Ont., truck attack on Muslim family to head straight to trial

A man facing terror-related murder charges in the deaths of four members of a Muslim family in London, Ont., will head straight to trial.

The preliminary hearing will be skipped, federal Crown attorney says

The Canadian Press ·
A family stands outside, looking to the camera. There are trees in the background.
Yumna Afzaal, 15, left, Madiha Salman, 44, centre left, Talat Afzaal, 74, and Salman Afzaal, 46, right, were out for an evening walk last June when they were run over by a man who police say was motivated by anti-Muslim hate. (Submitted by the Afzaal family)

A man facing terror-related murder charges in the attack of a Muslim family last summer in London, Ont., will head straight to trial.

Nathaniel Veltman is accused of deliberately hitting the Afzaal family with his truck on June 6.

Federal Crown attorney Lisa Matthews told a London court that the case received a preferred indictment on Jan. 21, which means the preliminary hearing will be skipped.

Veltman faces four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder, in what prosecutors allege was an act of terrorism.

Nathaniel Veltman, 20, appeared in Ontario Superior Court via video link from the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre on Monday, June 14, and was charged with terrorism offences.
Nathaniel Veltman appeared in Ontario Superior Court via video link from the Elgin Middlesex Detention Centre on June 14, and was charged with terrorism offences. His case will go straight to trial. (Sketch by Lauren Foster-MacLeod)

Salman Afzaal, 46, his 44-year-old wife Madiha Salman, their 15-year-old daughter Yumna and her 74-year-old grandmother, Talat Afzaal, were killed while out for an evening walk. The couple's nine-year-old son, Fayez, was seriously hurt.

Police have alleged the incident was motivated by hate against the Islamic faith.

Veltman is next in court on April 8 for a judicial pretrial and then in the Superior Court of Justice on April 12.

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