11 killed, over 20 injured after SUV rams into crowd at Vancouver street festival

The tragic incident happened at around 8:14 p.m. on Saturday during the Lapu Lapu Day festival. The driver, a 30-year-old man from Vancouver, was arrested at the scene, initially detained by bystanders before police arrived. Authorities believe he acted alone.

Prime Minister Mark Carney cancelled his campaign event on Sunday and said, “Last night families lost a sister, a brother, a mother, father, son or a daughter. Those families are living every family’s nightmare,” fighting back tears during his speech.

Video footage showed a terrible scene — injured and dead people lying along a narrow street full of food trucks. Witnesses described the horror of the moment the SUV smashed through the crowd.

Kris Pangilinan, who had a pop-up booth at the event, said, “He slammed on the gas, barreled through the crowd. All I can remember is seeing bodies flying up in the air higher than the food trucks and landing on the ground. It looked like a bowling ball hitting pins.”

Another witness, Carayn Nulada, described pulling her grandchildren off the street to shield them. Her daughter was slightly injured but escaped worse harm. “I saw people running and my daughter was shaking,” she said from Vancouver General Hospital, where she was looking for her injured brother.

James Cruzat, a business owner at the festival, said he heard “a loud bang” and saw people crying and running. “Others were lifeless, others were injured,” he said.

Nineteen-year-old Nic Magtajas described how people were thrown high into the air on impact. “I saw a bunch of people go over, go high up from the impact of hitting the car,” he told AP.

Vancouver Mayor Kenneth Sim said he was “shocked and deeply saddened” by the attack and pledged support for the Filipino community.

Lapu Lapu Day celebrates a Filipino national hero who resisted Spanish colonisation in the 16th century. Vancouver is home to a large Filipino population, with over 38,600 residents of Filipino heritage as of 2021, according to Statistics Canada.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. sent condolences and said the Philippine Consulate in Vancouver is working closely with Canadian authorities. “We remember the 1 million strong Filipino community in Canada and pray for their continued strength and resilience,” the country’s Department of Foreign Affairs added.

Pangilinan, still in shock, said, “It’s hard to believe that someone has some malice against the Filipino people,” according to AP.

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