Nine people were killed and several others injured when a man drove into a crowd during a Filipino heritage festival in Vancouver, police said Sunday.
The vehicle struck festival-goers at about 8:14 p.m. Saturday at the Lapu Lapu Day celebration, held near East 43rd Avenue and Fraser Street in South Vancouver. According to police, a 30-year-old Vancouver man was arrested at the scene and is currently in custody. The Vancouver Police Department’s Major Crime Section is leading the investigation.
Authorities confirmed that, at this stage, the incident does not appear to be linked to terrorism.
Interim Police Chief Steve Rai said the suspect was apprehended initially by bystanders before officers arrived. A video shared online showed a young man in a black hoodie being held against a fence, surrounded by angry witnesses. In the footage, the man appeared distressed, repeatedly saying, “I’m sorry.”
Chief Rai described the suspect as a “lone male” known to police but declined to comment further on his background or the circulating video.
The aftermath of the crash was devastating. Videos posted on social media showed debris scattered across the festival site and victims lying motionless on the ground. A black SUV with a smashed front end was visible in photos from the scene.
Carayn Nulada, a witness, recounted shielding her young grandchildren with her body as the SUV barreled toward them. Her daughter narrowly escaped serious injury after being brushed by the vehicle. Nulada’s brother suffered multiple broken bones and remains hospitalized after being identified through his wedding ring.
James Cruzat, a local business owner who attended the festival, described hearing a loud revving sound followed by a crash. “We saw people on the road crying, running, and shouting for help,” he said. “There were bodies on the ground, some lifeless, others injured.”
Vancouver Mayor Kenneth Sim expressed his condolences in a statement, calling the incident “horrific” and pledging city support for the victims and the Filipino community. Vancouver’s Filipino population stood at more than 38,600 in 2021, making up nearly 6% of the city’s residents.
Prime Minister Mark Carney also postponed his election campaign events, offering condolences to the victims’ families and the Filipino-Canadian community. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued a statement of sympathy and said the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver is coordinating with Canadian authorities to support the victims and ensure a thorough investigation.
Saturday’s tragedy echoed a similar incident in 2018, when a van attack in Toronto killed 10 pedestrians.
The Lapu Lapu Day event honors Datu Lapu-Lapu, an Indigenous Filipino leader celebrated for resisting Spanish colonization in the 16th century.
Police continue to investigate the motive behind the attack.
