The Yonge Street van attack in Toronto: 1 week later

Toronto is attempting to regain a sense of normalcy one week after the driver of a white rented van plowed into pedestrians, leaving 10 dead and 16 wounded.

The attack brought parts of Yonge Street in suburban North York to a halt as businesses, roads and some subway stations were closed while police began a lengthy investigation.

One resident, Pouria Fakhraei, said it took time for the community to return to normal. Immediately aftermath the attack, not many people were on the street, but that began to change by the end of the week, Fakhraei said.

“People are still walking around because they know that they can’t let fear control their life. It’s just we can’t let that happen. The second we show that has happened, as a community, we’ve failed.”

Fakhraei added: “We’ll stay strong. We will support each other and we will get through this, and we will show that an incident like this will not crumble us.”

That strength was on full display on Sunday night. Thousands converged on Mel Lastman Square, just steps away from where the scene of the attack, for a multi-faith vigil to remember the lives lost.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Gov. Gen. Julie Payette and Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne were among people in attendance.

Melissa Kabatasdaravar said she went to the vigil because coming together as a community is important.

“It’s very healing, it’s very powerful to be together. It is really a reclaiming of the streets,” she said. “I think something really significant happened. We can move on, but we can’t forget.”