Tragedy struck Vancouver on Saturday night when a vehicle drove into a crowd gathered for a vibrant Filipino cultural festival, leaving multiple people dead and several others injured.
According to the Vancouver Police Department, the incident happened around 8:14 p.m. local time near East 43rd Avenue and Fraser Street, during the Lapu Lapu Day Festival, an event celebrating Filipino heritage. Authorities confirmed that a 30-year-old Vancouver man was arrested at the scene.
The driver, operating a black SUV, reportedly entered a laneway behind nearby businesses before accelerating into the festival crowd. Eyewitnesses described the vehicle driving erratically, with one witness, food truck operator Yoseb Vardeh, recounting:
“I heard an engine rev. I got outside my food truck, I looked down the road and there’s just bodies everywhere. He went through the whole block, he went straight down the middle.”
The Vancouver Police Department’s Major Crime Section is leading the investigation. Officials have not yet determined whether the act was intentional or accidental and have asked the public to come forward with any information.
Festival organizers, Filipino BC, expressed devastation in a public statement:
“We are still finding the words to express the deep heartbreak brought on by this senseless tragedy. We are devastated for the families and victims.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the nation via social media, mourning the dead and wounded:
“I offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver. We are all mourning with you.”
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim called the event “horrific,” adding that the festival was held to celebrate Lapu Lapu, a 16th-century Filipino anti-colonial leader.
Sim stated:
“Our thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time.”
Throughout Saturday, the festival had drawn thousands of attendees, according to the Vancouver Sun, with families enjoying food trucks, cultural dances, songs, and market booths. The celebration turned into a scene of devastation in an instant.
Footage verified by CNN showed the black SUV stopped in the middle of the street with heavy front-end damage and the driver’s side door open. Emergency responders worked rapidly, with ambulances arriving to transport victims while bystanders assisted where they could.
Authorities have not yet confirmed the official number of fatalities and injuries, but the casualty count is expected to rise.
This story is still developing. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
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