Alek Minassian Would Tell His Victims He Was Lonely and Angry at Society, Court Hears

Crown attorney Joe Callaghan, clockwise from top (L), Justice Anne Molloy, accused in the April 2018 Toronto van attack Alex Minsassian and Dr. Alexander Westphal are shown during a murder trial conducted via Zoom videoconference, in this courtroom sketch on Nov. 30, 2020. The Canadian Press/Alexandra Newbould

TORONTO—The man who killed 10 people while driving a van on a Toronto sidewalk says he would tell his victims he committed the attack because he was lonely and angry at society.

A psychiatrist says Alek Minassian told him if he were to try to explain his actions to one of his victims, he’d say he was isolated and bitter.