Sapkota said he saw ‘so many nails’ from the bomb’s shrapnel, including one embedded in a woman’s leg. One person was bleeding from the stomach
Raj Sapkota, a waiter at Bombay Bhel Indian restaurant in Mississauga, Ont., was in the kitchen preparing desserts when two men concealing their faces came in, set down a bomb in the reception area, then turned and ran.
It was 10:32 p.m. on Thursday. Many of the staff had already gone home. Two dinner parties, both about a dozen people, were still in the restaurant, one seated by the front window, the other in the middle of the room. One was a little boy’s birthday party, with balloons. Both sets of customers were longtime regulars, Sapkota said.
Between 10 and 15 seconds later, there was a loud bang. The blast shattered a set of interior glass doors and ripped open the ceiling. People started crying and shouting as the extent of their injuries became apparent. Blood ran onto the floor. There was not a lot of smoke, though there was a lingering smell like gasoline.
Sapkota said he saw “so many nails” from the bomb’s shrapnel, including one embedded in a woman’s leg. One person was bleeding from the stomach. “I think one is the birthday boy’s dad,” Sapkota said. “He was the most injured.”
“Everybody was screaming, panicking. They don’t know what to do. Everyone wanted to get out from the inside after the blast,” Sapkota said. “It was a very scary scene and people were like running around, like what to do.”
There’s no indication that this was a hate crime or an act of terror but nothing has been ruled out at this stage of the investigation
He gave them water. Five minutes later, police arrived and cleared the restaurant.
The attack has prompted a massive ongoing manhunt for the two suspects in this suburb west of Toronto, and although there is as yet no evidence of a terrorist motive, it stoked fears of terrorism in a city still raw from the experience of a lethal van rampage.
Police confirmed Friday afternoon that about 40 people were in the restaurant, including staff. Fifteen people were injured, three critically. None were children. All have now been released from hospital. They include a 35-year-old man from Brampton, whom the National Post understands to be the birthday boy’s father; a 62 year-old woman from Mississauga, whom Sapkota knows as a regular customer; and a 48-year-old woman from Mississauga. The other victims range in age from 23 to 69 years old.
“We’re in solidarity with the victims of this violence, and wish a swift recovery to the injured,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Twitter. He has eaten in the restaurant before, though he did not mention it.
Outside the restaurant, after the explosion, Sahar Alqudsi was walking to the drugstore with her husband when two cars sped past them and almost knocked them over, running red lights as they drove eastbound. Five minutes later, she saw police arrive.
Police have not indicated they are looking for a getaway car, and said the bombers are thought to have initially fled on foot. That led to an intense ground search involving dogs on Thursday night, with officers searching through parked cars.
As they did, the neighbourhood came alive with curiosity.
“It was around 10:30 and we have the windows open, both of them for the breeze and all of a sudden there were firecracker noises and then within a few minutes we heard sirens going off and I didn’t think much of it and then I noticed a lot of people on the street, a lot of neighbours were out,” said Radhika Sanda. “One of the neighbours across, he was running and he said how a bomb went off so that was kind of scary. I hope they’re OK… because we know that the owners are a very sweet couple and they’re really friendly and you know … they know us by face, they recognize our voice whenever we call and they’re really, really sweet so the first though was I hope they’re OK.… And there was the swat teams telling us to go inside with huge guns. But everyone was in their balconies the whole time.”
The first suspect is described by police as “5’10’’- 6’0’’ feet tall, stocky build, mid-20s, light skin, wearing dark blue jeans, dark-coloured zip-up hoodie pulled over his head, baseball cap with a light grey peak and his face covered with dark material.”
The second man is described as “5’9’’- 5’10’’ feet tall, fair skin, thin build, wearing faded blue jeans, dark zip-up hoodie with a brass coloured zipper and the hood pulled over his head, grey T-shirt, dark coloured skate shoes and his face covered with dark material.”
Sapkota, the waiter, said he did not recognize the masked bombers, and said it was not apparent that there was any specific human target to their attack. He said there is no history of vandalism or violence at the restaurant, and that staff were not aware of any reason the restaurant itself might be targeted.
“There’s no indication that this was a hate crime or an act of terror but nothing has been ruled out at this stage of the investigation,” Peel Region police Chief Jennifer Evans said at a Friday morning news conference.
Bombay Bhel is the flagship of a small chain of Indian curry houses set up many years ago by Mohan Nagpal, who previously had a restaurant on Gerrard Street in Toronto’s Little India. Local residents described a lovely Sikh couple who owned Bombay Bhel. A friend of the owners, who wished to remain unnamed, said they helped create a sense of community at the restaurant, and served some off the best Indian food in the area. A white Mercedes belonging to Sumita Nagpal was still in the parking lot, behind the police line.
“It was an extremely horrific and sad incident,” reads a note posted to the restaurant’s website.
Sejal Sheth, who regularly eats there and was passing by on Friday with her children, said the owners are passionate about what they do, and that Bombay Bhel is a popular restaurant for parties.
Bonnie Crombie, Mayor of Mississauga, said her city has received offers of help from many organization, including other police forces who are collaborating in the investigation.
“Certainly I was shaken this morning when I heard the news as well, but you have to have confidence in Peel Regional Police and you have to have faith in our city,” she said.
