At least nine dead, multiple injured in Vancouver after car drives through Filipino festival
At least nine people were killed and many were injured after a man drove into a crowd at the Filipino heritage festival in Vancouver, police said early Sunday morning. According to Vancouver police, a man drove into a large crowd of people gathered for the Lapu Lapu Day festival around 8:14 p.m. Police confirmed the...
At least nine people were killed and many were injured after a man drove into a crowd at the Filipino heritage festival in Vancouver, police said early Sunday morning.
According to Vancouver police, a man drove into a large crowd of people gathered for the Lapu Lapu Day festival around 8:14 p.m. Police confirmed the nine deaths and several injuries after the incident.
The suspect, a 30-year-old Vancouver man, was arrested at the scene and has been taken into custody.
Vancouver authorities said they were investigating the case, but “at this time” they did not believe it to be an act of terrorism.
Interim Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai said at a press conference that a man was arrested after he was initially apprehended by bystanders, The Associated Press reported.
During the press conference, Rai said it was believed the man was acting alone and he is someone who was “known to police in certain circumstances,” the news service reported.
Multiple videos posted online appear to show victims and debris strewn on a long stretch of road, with several people lying on the ground of the South Vancouver neighborhood. The vehicle driven by the man, a black SUV, had a crumpled front.
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said in a post on X that he was shocked and deeply saddened by the incident.
“We will work to provide more information as soon as we can, but at this time @VancouverPD have confirmed there are a number of fatalities and multiple injuries,” Sim said. “Our thoughts are will all those affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this time.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also said he was devastated to hear the news and said he was monitoring the situation closely.
“I offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver,” Carney said online. “We are all mourning with you.”
The celebration was in honor of Datu Lapu-Lapuannd Indigenous chieftain who stood up to Spanish explorers in the 16th century in the face of colonization.
Vancouver, which is part of the British Columbia province, has recognized the celebration since 2023 in honor of the large Filipino immigrant community in the area.
