Minassian saw himself as a part of an army of vengeful versions.
Could a mass murder four years ago be the twisted inspiration behind Monday's massacre in Toronto that left 10 pedestrians dead?
In 2014, 22-year-old Elliot Rodger killed six people in Santa Barbara, Calif. He was later found by police, dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head.
His motive for the 2014 shooting was believed to be the fact that he couldn't get a girlfriend.
He aimed his pent-up fury at the girls of the Alpha Phi sorority on the University of California, Santa Barbara campus.
Now, 25-year-old Alek Minassian claims he drove a rented van down 16 blocks on a busy street in Toronto to take out anyone in his path because he was rejected by girls. It's believed he was inspired by Rodger to exact revenge.
Just before the massacre, he tweeted: "The rebellion has begun! All hail the supreme gentleman Elliot Rodger!"
Minassian also describes himself as an "incel," or an involuntary celibate. He apparently saw himself as a member of an army of vengeful virgins. Rodger is seen as a poster boy for the movement.
"They project their self-loathing on others and unfortunately, we have many people killed and this can happen again and again," Forensic psychologist Dr. Keith Ablow told Inside Edition.
Minassian's arrest was caught on video. He begged cops to shoot him and pointed what looked like a gun at them.
He was actually unarmed, and was overpowered by a police officer, who has been commended for his remarkable bravery and restraint.
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