They investigate whether a bus crash with a nursery in Canada was deliberate

A 51-year-old man was detained by the authorities as he is suspected of deliberately crashing a bus into a day care center near Montreal, Canada.

“We believe this is deliberate, but we don’t know why,” he told the AFP Pierre Brochet, police chief of Laval.

The detainee is the driver of the vehicle and has no criminal record, is accused of homicide and reckless driving. It also belongs to the Société de transport de Laval (STL).

The accident occurred around 08:30, when the bus crashed into the Sainte-Rose nursery. A neighbor told CBC who together with a group of parents tried to rescue the children who were trapped and managed to retain the driver.

The man appeared “agitated” and was “half naked,” according to witnesses.

Quebec emergency services told the AFP that one of the two children died at the scene. The other died after being treated by paramedics. The other six hospitalized children were out of danger.

“I am devastated. We all are,” Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said. “I can’t imagine what the families are going through,” he added.

The nursery is attended by between 80 and 85 children and is located in a cul-de-sac. In total, 12 injuries were confirmed.

In 2018, Alek Minassian rammed a crowd in downtown Toronto, killing 11 and injuring 16, the deadliest car ramming attack in Canadian history. (YO)