A 30-year-old man drove an SUV through a crowded Filipino street festival in Vancouver late Saturday night, killing at least nine people and injuring more than 20, authorities said.
The attack occurred around 8:14 p.m. during the Lapu Lapu Day festival, an annual celebration of Filipino heritage honoring a 16th-century native leader who resisted Spanish colonization. The Vancouver Police Department said in a statement that the suspect was apprehended at the scene and taken into custody by bystanders before officers arrived.
"At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism," Interim Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai said during a Sunday news conference. Authorities said the man, whose name has not been released, was "known to police in certain circumstances."
Video footage posted to social media showed the suspect, wearing a black hoodie, pinned against a chain-link fence as bystanders shouted and cursed at him. In the clip, the man is seen holding his hand to his head and saying, "I'm sorry." Rai declined to comment directly on the video but confirmed that the man acted alone.
Prime Minister Mark Carney canceled his final campaign event ahead of Monday's national election and expressed condolences to victims' families. "Last night families lost a sister, a brother, a mother, father, son or a daughter," Carney said. "And to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver, I would like to offer my deepest condolences."
The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver described the incident as "horrific" and set up a hotline for those affected. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. also issued a statement, saying, "We are one with the families of the victims and the Filipino community in Vancouver during this difficult time."
Witnesses described scenes of chaos as the SUV barreled through the festive crowd. Carayn Nulada, who attended with her grandchildren, said she shielded them with her body as the vehicle approached. "The car hit her arm and she fell down, but she got up looking for us because she was scared," Nulada told local reporters from Vancouver General Hospital, where she was seeking news about her brother, who suffered multiple broken bones.
Authorities said the investigation remains ongoing. It was not immediately clear Sunday what charges the driver may face.
The Lapu Lapu Day festival, now in its second year, draws Vancouver's vibrant Filipino community, which numbers over 38,600 residents, according to Statistics Canada. Vancouver Mayor Kenneth Sim said in a statement, "I am shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific incident at today's Lapu Lapu Day event. Our thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver's Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time."
