What we know about Nathaniel Veltman, the man charged in the London, Ont. attack

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CTV News has removed content that referred to court documents released in error by the London, Ont. court.

Nathaniel Veltman, the 20-year-old man charged with four counts of first-degree murder following an alleged vehicle attack in London, Ont., worked at an egg packing facility and, to date, had no known ties to hate groups.

Veltman is accused of killing four members of a Muslim family -- Salman Afzaal, his wife Madiha Salman, their daughter Yumna, and Salman Afzaal's mother -- and injuring the couple’s nine-year-old son Fayez.

He’s been charged with four counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.

"There is evidence that this was a planned, premeditated act and that the family was targeted because of their Muslim faith," said London Police Service Det.-Insp. Paul Waight during a briefing on Monday.

Veltman was arrested about seven kilometres from the crash near the Cherryhill Village Mall in London. Police have said he was wearing body armour at the time of his arrest.

• READ MORE FROM CTV NEWS LONDON: What we know about the man accused in the London, Ont. attack

Veltman worked as a part-time shipping employee Gray Ridge Egg Farms, an egg-packing facility in nearby Strathroy, Ont.In a statement on the company’s website, Gray Ridge Eggs Inc. CEO William H. Gray said management and staff at the facility “were shocked and saddened” to find out one of their employees had been accused in the murders.

“We join our community in expressing condemnation of this violent attack and offer our heartfelt sympathy to the family and the Muslim community,” Gray continued in the statement.

CTV News has confirmed a single image of Veltman from 2016 when he was a teenager participating in the St. Clair River Run, a half-marathon, 10-kilometre and five-kilometre road race along the St. Clair River in Sombra and Port Lambton, Ont.

Police have not provided an image of the suspect. 

Veltman lived in an apartment on Covent Market Place in downtown London. Police were seen outside the apartment building on Tuesday.

Veltman has not been charged with a hate crime, though police are still considering additional charges.

“The terrorism charge is certainly on the radar,” London Police Chief Stephen Williams told CTV News. 

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ontario Premier Doug Ford and several other politicians have called it a terrorist attack.

"Their lives were taken in a brutal, cowardly, and brazen act of violence,” Trudeau said Tuesday. “This killing was no accident. This was a terrorist attack motivated by hatred in the heart of one of our communities."

Williams said on Monday that evidence “from a variety of sources” indicated that the attack was allegedly carried out because of the family’s Muslim faith, but added on Tuesday that any involvement with any hate groups has not been established.

“The information right now suggests that this individual acted alone,” Williams said. “However, we need to look into his background, his recent activity.”

With files from CTV News London

If you need mental health help in the wake of the London, Ont. vehicle attack, support and resources are available here.