– Sabah Ahmed, Toronto –
The collision on Tuesday night in London, Ontario, causing the death of eight-year-old Alexandra Stemp and injuring nine others, is under police investigation. But for now, the Police believe that the car crash was unintentional and not targeted towards anyone.
London Police spokesperson Constable Sandasha Bough said, “Information is spread on social media, and there are rumors and speculation, and that can spread very quickly, so we just wanted to make sure the public knew that it did not appear this was an intentional act.”
The horrific incident has left the Londoners in shock. According to London Police on Nov 30, at 6.45 p.m., a 76-year-old woman driving westbound towards Wonderland Road hit a vehicle that stopped on a traffic signal. The woman then drove through the intersection, hitting a light post and a small tree, ultimately injuring ten pedestrians on the north side of Riverside Drive.
All the pedestrians, whose ages ranged from six to 40, were injured. The driver remained on the scene, uninjured.
The next day, Alexandra Stemp passed away due to her injuries. Three girls were released from the hospital on Wednesday afternoon after their treatment.
There were Canada Girl Guides among the injured pedestrians. However, the Girl Guides has not identified them, or the severity of the injuries.
Constable Bough said, “Members of the LPS traffic management unit are investing the incident, and as with all TMU reconstructions and investigation, it could take weeks before this is complete.”
She added, “When that investigation is complete, we will be able to share more information into what transpired and if any charges will be laid.”
A Girl Guide spokesperson said on Wednesday, “Girl Guides of Canada is in contact with local volunteers to provide any support we can, and we will help (the) London Police Service in any way possible in their investigation.”
The news from London, Ontario breaks my heart. To the family and friends of the child who passed away, know that Canadians across the country are here for you. And to those who were injured, we’re wishing you all a fast and full recovery. We’ll be keeping you in our thoughts.
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) December 1, 2021
Witness Saw “A Vehicle at High Speeding Heading West”
The witnesses have reported that they saw a large vehicle speeding at the red light on Riverside Drive. Several people told the Police, the vehicle sped by McKillop Park on the south of the street.
Carlos Telero, who had stopped at the red light, said,
“This guy didn’t stop at all. I don’t know what happened. And he wasn’t driving slow. And right after this car, a cloud of parts and pieces. I was, like, shaking, and I was in shock.”
Several people rushed towards the scene when a loud sound of the car crash was heard. Emergency services were informed as soon as the incident occurred.
A resident who lives right across the McKillop Park said
“We were sitting down for dinner, then we heard a crash. That’s when we heard some people screaming and then called 911. And then from that point on, it was pretty much just ambulances showing up for the next probably 30 or so minutes.”
Alexandra Was A Brilliant & Vivacious Little Girl
Alexandra who succumbed to her injuries is being remembered as “a brilliant and vivacious little girl with a terrific sense of humour.”
Her family described her as “a talented artist who loved her older brother with all of her heart.”
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