Toronto police chief Mark Saunders identified the man as Alek Minassian, a 25-year-old from Richmond Hill, Ontario.

Saunders, who clarified that his name was spelled with an 'x', said Minassian was not known to police, and that he did not have a weapon. (Wire reports continue to use the Alek spelling).

Police said they did not yet know of a motive. The driver was taken into custody after a showdown, captured on video, in which he told officers that he had a weapon and said, "Shoot me in the head."

He gestured at police with an object and then tossed it onto the ground.