Eleven people have been killed and more than 20 have been injured after a man drove a SUV into a crowded street festival in Vancouver on Saturday.
The incident happened just after 8 p.m. local time, as the Lapu Lapu Day Street Festival, which drew up to 100,000 people throughout the day, was winding down.
Interim Vancoouver police chief Steve Rai described it as “the darkest day in the city’s history.” He said there weren’t any threats to the event or Filipino community beforehand.
Rai said the black SUV entered the street festival from East 43rd Avenue, sped up, then drove through the enclosed area, hitting dozens of festival-goers.
The driver, a 30-year-old man, later tried to run away on foot after the vehicle stopped running. He was quickly subdued by bystanders until police arrived and was later arrested at the scene.
In a news briefing that same night, Rai said the man was known to police “in some circumstances” and that he had a history of mental health issues. He emphasized that the attack was not an act of terrorism.
The Lapu-Lapu Block Party
Lapu-Lapu Day honors the Fillipino hero who defeated Spanish forces in the Battle of Mactan in the 16th century.
The street festival on Saturday was the second annual event that celebrated the day in Vancouver.
Kris Pangilinan, who had flown from Toronto to Vancouver to attend the festival said it was “a beautiful day” filled with great food and entertainment but the attack has left him shaken.
Pangilinan said crews were in the middle of putting away the stage after the festival’s main act, when the incident occured.
Crews also lifted a barricade that had been blocking traffic from entering the enclosed area, to let vehicles enter, he said. While the cars were carefully guided through the crowds, one car – a black Audi SUV – suddenly sped up and plowed through the street at 100kmph.
The SUV rammed into hundreds of festival-goers, covering the ground with bodies.
Another witness, James Cruzat, who owns a business in Vancouver, was at the street festival when he heard a loud bang. He recalls seeing people crying, running, and yelling for help on the road.
What We Know About the Victims
The Le family
The incident killed three members of the Le family, relatives told media outlets.
Linh Hoang, 30, his husband Richard Le, 47, and their 5-year-old daughter Katie were all killed in the incident. Richard’s son from a previous relationship, 16-year-old Andy, is the only surviving family member.
Relatives said Andy had changed his mind at the last minute, opting to stay at home to do homework instead of attending the festival.
Richard, who worked as a real estate agent, was also a tennis and badminton coach who often went out of his way to help others. Hoang, who had an upcoming trip to Vietnam to visit family, was known for her “gentle spirit”.
Their daughter Katie was just about to graduate kindergarten.
Kira Salim
A statement from the New Westminister School Board confirmed on Monday that Kira Salim, who worked as a counselor at New Westminister Secondary and Fraser River Middle School, was amongst those killed at thes festival.
The statement described Kira as “a valued member of the community” who had a powerful impact on their students.
