Instantly after the bus plowed into the constructing, the driving force stepped out of the bus, ripped his garments off and began screaming, one other neighbor mentioned.

“He was simply yelling; there have been no phrases popping out of his mouth,” Hamdi Benchaabane mentioned. The driving force, he mentioned, “was in a unique world.”

Pierre Ny St-Amand, 51, is going through 9 costs together with first diploma homicide, tried homicide, aggravated assault and assault inflicting bodily hurt. He appeared in courtroom by way of video late Wednesday from a hospital room and can stay detained.

A senior Canadian authorities official mentioned the crash was not a terrorist act and didn’t pose a menace to nationwide safety. The official spoke on situation of anonymity as they weren’t approved to talk publicly on the matter.

The driving force was from Laval and had labored for Societe de transport de Laval for 10 years. He had no legal historical past and a clear work report, police officers and Laval Mayor Stéphane Boyer mentioned at two separate information conferences.

“As of now, we don’t know the motive for the crime,” police spokesperson Erika Landry mentioned. She didn’t say why police decided the crash to be a murder. Laval Police Chief Pierre Brochet mentioned authorities are interviewing the driving force.

“There’s a concept that it was an intentional act, however that continues to be to be confirmed by the investigation,” Boyer, Laval’s mayor, mentioned.

The lifeless youngsters have been each 4 years previous, recognized within the paperwork solely by their initials.

Six youngsters have been hospitalized with accidents that weren’t life-threatening, Brochet mentioned.

The day care is positioned on the finish of a driveway off a cul-de-sac. There’s a bus cease on the cul-de-sac, however the driver would have needed to veer off the highway and head down the lengthy driveway to hit the constructing.

“There have been no indicators of skidmarks … He went straight into the day care,” mentioned one other eyewitness, Mario Sirois.

Sirois’ spouse, Ginette Lamoureux, the neighbor who bumped into the day care shortly after the crash, mentioned the driving force was hysterical.

“His eyes have been like coming out,” she mentioned.

Benchaabane mentioned he and three dad and mom needed to strike the driving force in an effort to subdue him, earlier than police cuffed him.

Brochet mentioned officers on the scene have been crying.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned his workplace was “following the scenario carefully.”

Members of Parliament noticed a second of silence in Ottawa.

Carrying a hospital robe and in a mattress, St-Amand was alert however unresponsive throughout his video look because the decide and his lawyer tried to get him to talk. He solely nodded his head a couple of occasions when requested by his lawyer, Julien Lespérance Hudon, if he understood he was showing in a courtroom.

The case returns to courtroom on Feb. 17.

Neighbors described the suspect as a quiet, nice father of two younger women. One man, Thanh-Ry Tran, mentioned his household obtained along with the suspect’s household a couple of occasions a yr, and their wives would typically assist one another in selecting up or dropping off youngsters. He mentioned the suspect had by no means proven indicators of misery.

One other neighbor, Nader Abou-Stated, mentioned he would alternate nice greetings with the suspect, and would usually see him taking part in along with his daughters within the yard.

“How are you going to exit and play along with your youngsters after which go kill youngsters?” he mentioned.