On Sunday, authorities in Vancouver, Canada, said that a man had driven into a crowd during a Filipino cultural event, killing at least nine people and injuring an unknown number more.
The Vancouver Police Department released a statement on social media stating that at 8:14 p.m. on Saturday, a car crashed into festivalgoers celebrating Lapu Lapu Day.
It was not immediately clear how many additional individuals were hurt, although that number was likely high.
At the site, police apprehended a 30-year-old male from Vancouver. The inquiry is being overseen by the department’s Major Crime Section.
The police agency assured the public early Sunday that they do not believe the event to have been a terrorist attack.
Interim The individual was detained by onlookers immediately, according to Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai, who said during a press conference.
An online video has gone viral showing a young guy in a black hoodie being yelled at passersby as he stands with his back to a chain link fence, accompanied by a security guard.
“I apologize,” the man adds, putting his palm on his head.
Although Rai chose not to address the footage, he did say that the individual in police custody was a “lone male” who had been “known to police in certain circumstances.”
A community in South Vancouver was hosting the celebration. At least seven individuals were seen laying motionless on the ground as footage from social media showed casualties and wreckage scattered across a lengthy stretch of road. Photos taken at the site showed a black SUV with its front end crushed.
Attendee James Cruzat of Vancouver, British Columbia, originally mistook what he believed was a gunshot for “a loud noise, like a loud bang” after hearing a vehicle crank its engine.
People were begging for aid on the road; some were sobbing, while others were fleeing, shouting, or even screaming. After that, we attempted to get there to see what was going on, but we discovered dead bodies when we got there. According to Cruzat, several were found dead and others were injured.
Witnessing such type of event and circumstance was awful. The experience was devastating, Cruzat stated. Because I thought it only happened in movies and TV shows, I can’t believe it’s happening in real life. It was shocking, though, when you’re in that type of scenario. Praying for them was your only option.
Whenever feasible, the city of Vancouver will give further information, according to a social media statement by Mayor Kenneth Sim.
“The terrible incident at today’s Lapu Lapu Day event has shocked and saddened me tremendously,” Sim said. “During this terrible time, our hearts go out to the Filipino community in Vancouver and to all those impacted.”
Statistics Canada, which is responsible for conducting the national census, reported that in 2021, out of a total population of 38,600 in Vancouver, 5.9% were of Filipino descent.
The Indigenous leader Datu Lapu-Lapu, who resisted the arrival of Spanish explorers to the Philippines in the 1600s, is the hero of Lapu Lapu Day. “He embodies the spirit of native resistance, a potent force that contributed to the formation of the Filipino identity during the era of colonization,” stated the Vancouver event’s producers.
Canadian political leaders, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, took to social media to share their horror at the tragic events, offer their sympathies to the victims, and rally behind the festivalgoers as they celebrated their history.
The Filipino Canadian community, the city of Vancouver, and the families of the victims have my sincerest sympathies. In his letter, Carney expressed solidarity with the bereaved.
Earlier in the day, Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party, stated, “As we wait to learn more, our thoughts are with the victims and their families — and Vancouver’s Filipino community, who were coming together today to celebrate resilience.” Singh echoed this sentiment, speaking at the festival.
The Filipino people and everyone else who has been victimized by this tragic incident are on my mind. The head of the Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre, expressed gratitude to the first responders who are now on the site and asked for additional information.
British Columbia is home to Vancouver, and its premier, David Eby, expressed astonishment and grief at the news. The City of Vancouver is in touch with us, and we will offer any assistance that is required, Eby stated.