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In Vancouver multiple fatalities and injuries have been reported following an incident where a driver collided with a crowd at the ‘Lapu Lapu Day Festival’ as per Canadian media sources. Authorities have confirmed the apprehension of the driver, although the motive for the attack remains unclear. The event took place during the Filipino street festival on Saturday evening, with the precise count of casualties yet to be revealed.
Images from the scene depict a black SUV with significant front-end damage. The Vancouver Police Department stated on X, ‘Several individuals have lost their lives, and numerous others have sustained injuries after a driver struck a crowd at a street festival located at E. 41st Avenue and Fraser shortly after 8 PM. The driver is currently in custody, and further information will be provided as the investigation progresses.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the incident as ‘horrific’ in a post on X, extending his condolences to the families affected, the Filipino Canadian community, and the residents of Vancouver.
Mayor Ken Sim expressed his shock and sorrow regarding the tragic event at the Lapu Lapu Day celebration. Additionally, Canadian politician Jagmeet Singh, who had campaigned at the festival prior to the incident, shared his horror over the casualties and offered his thoughts to the victims and their families, as well as to Vancouver’s Filipino community, who had gathered to celebrate resilience.
Two adolescents employed at a nearby retail establishment reported witnessing the vehicle accelerate down the street. ‘We observed it racing through the crowd, striking individuals. I saw several people being thrown into the air due to the collision,’ stated Nic Magtajs, 19, in an interview with the Globe and Mail. He further noted that individuals were ‘running and screaming for assistance.’ Ihad Issa, 17, who was also working at the store alongside Magtajs, recounted that the vehicle sped to the end of the street. ‘There was pandemonium, people were in a state of panic, and bodies were scattered everywhere. We were powerless to intervene,’ Issa remarked.
Additional witnesses indicated that the SUV’s driver attempted to escape before being apprehended by law enforcement. The event known as ‘Lapu Lapu Day’ honors an Indigenous Filipino hero who opposed Spanish colonization in the 16th century, and this year marked Vancouver’s second annual observance of the occasion.
