Vancouver festival left shattered after vehicle drove into crowd killing eleven people (photo by News Arena)
by Mick the Ram
A car was driven at speed into a crowd celebrating at the annual Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver, resulting in the death of 11 people with a further 20 injured in the incident.
A 30-year-old male suspect who is “known to police in certain circumstances” has been taken into custody although officials have confirmed that they are “confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism.”
The unnamed individual drove his vehicle into pedestrians at the event that is part of Filipino culture that commemorates Lapu-Lapu, a national hero in the Philippines, who resisted Spanish colonisation.
Lapu Lapu Day is celebrated every year in the Philippines on 27 April and this tragic occurrence comes as Canadians are preparing to head to the polls in their nation’s federal election on Monday 28 April.
King Charles III, who of course is the head of state of Canada, said he and Queen Camilla were “profoundly saddened to learn of the dreadful attack and utterly tragic loss of life.”
Huge Filipino population in city
The shocking incident took place at East 43rd Avenue and Fraser in the south of the city.
The festival was officially set up in Vancouver – which is home to 141,230 Canadians of Filipino descent – in 2023 and according to its own website it not only honours the heroic legacy of Datu Lapu-Lapu, but also “symbolizes the cultural harmony and mutual respect that thrive in the province of British Columbia.”
Police statement
Steve Rai, Vancouver Police’s interim chief, told a news conference that there had been one vehicle and one suspect involved in the incident. He said it would be “inappropriate” and “unfair” to make comments on whether the suspect was on bail, adding that he would not “speculate on how people in the crowd managed to catch and hold the suspect.”
He admitted that it was his understanding they did so “prior to police arrival”. He confirmed that there were male and female victims, as well as young people.
Thorough investigation
Philippines President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr said he was “shattered to hear about the terrible incident”, adding that the Philippine consulate general would work with Canadian authorities to ensure the tragedy – which occurred at approximately 20:14 local time on Saturday 26 April – would be thoroughly investigated.
Carnage in front of food truck
Seemingly the final live performance of the day, which was the main event, had just finished when the car drove through a narrow street lined with food trucks.
The owner of one of those food trucks selling bao buns, Yoseb Vardeh, explained what he witnessed right in front of his van. “This guy, went completely straight, right through the crowd and he killed some of my customers; there was people waiting for their buns that got hit.”
He added: “I stepped outside of my food truck and I just saw bodies underneath people’s food trucks, husbands crying out for their wives or their kids.” Mr Yoseb said the vehicle was going about 100km/h (62mph), but when the driver stopped, he tried to run away, but was caught by people nearby.
PM message
Prime Minister Mark Carney changed his campaign events on Sunday, less than 24 hours before the country’s national election, to offer his condolences. “Last night, families lost a sister, a brother, a mother, a father, a son or a daughter, those families are living every family’s nightmare,” he said.
Mr Carney, the Liberal Party leader, added: “I know that I join all Canadians in mourning with you.”
Royal sympathy
King Charles III put out an official statement: “Our hearts and prayers go out to all those whose lives have been shattered by such a desperate tragedy and we send our deepest possible sympathy at a most agonising time for so many in Canada.”
International support
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said in a post that he was “shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific incident”, adding that his “thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time.”
France’s President Emmanuel Macron extended his country’s solidarity to Canadians and the Filipino community; whilst Ukraine’s foreign minister Andriy Sybiha sent his condolences to the Canadian people, remarking: “We in Ukraine know the pain of loss; our hearts go out to the victims loved ones.”
Now they blame it on mental health issues. That SOB knew exactly what he was doing