Vancouver Car Attack: Man Charged With Murder After Festival Tragedy

A tragic incident happened at the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver, Canada. A car drove into a crowd, killing at least 11 people, including a five-year-old girl. Many others were badly hurt.

On Sunday, police confirmed that Kai-Ji Adam Lo, a 30-year-old man, has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder. Police also said more charges could be added soon.

Acting police chief Steve Rai called it the “darkest day in Vancouver’s history.” He said the suspect was already known to police before the attack. However, police do not believe this was an act of terrorism.

The festival was attended by up to 100,000 people. It is a yearly event celebrating Lapu-Lapu, a Filipino hero who fought against Spanish colonizers. Vancouver has a large Filipino community, with over 140,000 Filipino-Canadians living there.

The attack happened at around 8:14 PM local time at East 43rd Avenue and Fraser Street. Witnesses said a black SUV suddenly drove into the crowd.

One resident, Abigail Andiso, said, “There’s a car that just went through the whole street, hitting everyone.” She described seeing many injured people lying on the ground while others panicked and screamed.

Police said bystanders helped to stop the suspect before officers arrested him. They warned that the death toll might still rise in the coming days or weeks.

At a news briefing, Mr. Rai said the suspect had a history of mental health issues and previous interactions with both police and healthcare workers. He also said there were no warnings or signs of a threat before the festival.

The street where the attack happened had food trucks and vendors, but no barriers were installed to protect the crowd.

Organizers of the festival said the Filipino community is deeply hurt. RJ Aquino, head of Filipino BC, said, “Our community is grieving. This will be felt for a long time.” He shared that many families were calling each other all night to check on their loved ones.

On Sunday, people laid flowers at the scene. One woman, named Donna, said the festival was full of young people and families. “People were here to celebrate and have fun. This is tragic,” she told BBC.

The attack also affected Canada’s federal election campaign. Prime Minister Mark Carney canceled large political gatherings. He visited the site, lit a candle, and spoke with families of the victims.

Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre also met members of the Filipino community at a church service. Other political leaders, including Jagmeet Singh and David Eby, expressed shock and sadness over the attack.

This event has left a deep mark on the people of Vancouver and across Canada.