Windsor-Tecumseh MPP Percy Hatfield is counting his blessings one day after the horrifying attack on pedestrians on a busy Toronto street.
While the attack happened on Yonge St., it was far from where Hatfield lives when he's representing his constituents in Toronto, but that does not mean it has not touched him.
"I bumped into one of the media people here that works in the control room where they broadcast the proceedings out," says Hatfield. "A friend of mine, his wife was there. She was on the sidewalk when this happened. They are working with this young man today and keeping him calm today because she was there. It could have happened to her."
There was a moment of silence in the Ontario Legislature at 10:30am Tuesday to commemorate the ten people who died when a van jumped the sidewalk.
Hatfield says legislators are also thinking about the first responders and police officers who apprehended the suspect.
"Our first responders did a terrific job. I'm sure some of them will need some counselling. They worked so hard to save the lives of those on the scene," He says. "I'm glad; I'm so glad that the police didn't shoot him when he tried to commit suicide by cop... now we'll get to find out why on earth somebody would do something like this."