Mr Alek Minassian, 25, confronted a police officer and claimed to have a gun. He was later charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder. Photo: INSTAGRAM/VODKAWATERPAPI

Alek Minassian, 25, was charged with 10 counts of first-degree murder and 13 counts of attempted murder.

Mr Minassian wore a white jumpsuit, with a shaved head and his hands behind his back. He showed little emotion.

He was read the charges and ordered to have no contact with surviving victims. He will return to court on 10 May.

A man believed to be a relative of Mr Minassian's sat in the front row of the court and wept. Asked by reporters after the hearing if he had anything to say, the relative replied "sorry".

Mr Minassian's court appearance came shortly after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed reporters in the city, calling the incident a "senseless attack and a horrific tragedy".

The suspect was arrested several blocks from the scene of the attack, after a tense standoff with a police officer, during which he pointed an object at the officer and claimed to have a gun.

"I don't care. Get down," the officer said, before arresting Mr Minassian without firing a shot. The arrest was filmed by two bystanders and the officer was praised for not opening fire.

Mr Trudeau praised the police response, saying officers "faced danger without a moment of hesitation".

How did the incident unfold?

One witness told City News that the driver was "hitting anything that comes in the way".

"People, fire hydrants, there's mailboxes being run over," said the unnamed man, who said he was driving behind the van during the incident.

As the van continued, the man said he sounded his horn to try to warn pedestrians. "I witnessed at least six, seven people being hit and flying in the air, like killed, on the street," he said.

Pictures from the scene showed bodies covered in orange sheets along the van's route. Debris and items of clothing were scattered across the pavements and road.

The van was brought to a halt by police several streets away and was quickly surrounded. The suspect was arrested 26 minutes after the first emergency call was made to the police.