Vancouver car-ramming attack: suspect charged with eights counts of murder – latest updates

Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte has offered her condolences following the attack, and called for those responsible to be “held fully accountable under Canadian law”. She said in a statement: I offer my condolences to the families and loved ones of those killed and injured in the recent incident at the Lapu-Lapu Day Celebration in Vancouver, Canada. My thoughts are with every kababayan affected by an act of violence that has no place in our shared humanity. “I condemn this deliberate assault in the strongest possible terms. There is no justification for targeting peaceful festivalgoers, and those responsible must be held fully accountable under Canadian law. “I thank the Canadian Government and deeply appreciate the efforts of the Philippine Embassy in Ottawa and the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver for their coordination with Canadian authorities to ensure every Filipino in need receives assistance, comfort, and clear guidance. Their commitment to our kababayan’s well-being offers immense reassurance during these challenging times.” Prime Minister Carney has also attended a vigil near the scene of the attack Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, has arrived in Vancouver, where he has joined a vigil for the victims. The suspect in a car-ramming attack that killed 11 people and injured dozens at a Filipino heritage festival in the Canadian city of Vancouver has been charged with eight counts of second degree murder, prosecutors have said. More charges were possible against Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, the British Columbia prosecution service said. Investigators ruled out terrorism and said Lo had a history of mental health issues. Here is the Guardian’s latest wrap of the tragic incident. Residents gathered at St. Mary the Virgin Church for a vigil. Candles lit for the victims. The tragedy has devastated the Filipino community in Canada. Canadian prosecutors have charged a 30-year-old Vancouver resident with murder for killing at least 11 people aged between 5 and 65 and injuring dozens after he rammed an SUV through a crowd at a Filipino community festival. Police have also warned that the death toll could rise in coming days and weeks. “Vancouver and the Filipino community suffered its darkest day here in the city of Vancouver,” said Vancouver mayor, Ken Sim. Canada’s prime minister, Mark Carney, has described the Vancouver attack as one that has left the country “shocked, devastated and heartbroken”. At least 11 people have been killed and dozens injured after an SUV ploughed into a crowd at a street festival in Vancouver. For the full report on the event, click below. The British Columbia prosecution service has charged Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, with eight counts of second degree murder and said more charges were possible, according to the Associated Press. Police said the suspect has a history of mental health issues. The man was arrested after a black Audi SUV entered the street just after 8 p.m. on Saturday and struck people attending the Lapu Lapu Day festival. Eleven people, including a five-year-old child, were killed in the attack. Lo, a Vancouver resident, appeared in court and remains in custody, prosecutors said. More tributes from Canadian sports teams and organisations, with Canada Soccer writing in a post on social media: “We love you, Vancouver. Today and always. Thinking of you all at this time.” And also from the Canadian Whitecaps football team, which posted a photo of the team with the Filipino flag alongside this message: Our hearts are with the victims, their families and Vancouver’s Filipino community.” King Charles has also commented on the tragic event in Vancouver, in a statement posted on social media saying: “My wife and I were profoundly saddened to learn of the dreadful attack and the utterly tragic loss of life in Vancouver, which occurred as the Filipino community gathered to celebrate one of their most cherished festivals. Our hearts and prayers go out to all those whose lives have been shattered by such a desperate tragedy, and we extend our deepest sympathy at this most agonizing time for so many in Canada. — Charles R.” A message from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the terrible attack in Vancouver, as posted on X: “Heartbreaking tragedy at Vancouver’s Filipino festival, where a man drove a car into the crowd, killing and injuring innocent people. On this sad day, Ukrainians deeply share the pain of Canadians, Vancouver residents, and the Canadian Filipino community. Our condolences to the victims’ families, and we wish the injured a speedy recovery. Stay strong, our friends in Canada and the Philippines.” Mourners have begun to place flowers at a growing memorial near a site the day after a driver killed multiple people during a Filipino festival. A handwritten note for the victims. A bouquet of flowers with the national flag of the Philippines. “Our thoughts and prayers”. The deadly car-ramming attack in Vancouver happened as thousands had gathered to mark Lapu Lapu Day, a celebration of a Filipino national hero who fought against Spanish colonisation. British Columbia officially recognised 27 April as Lapu Lapu Day in 2023, with local officials noting the date was an opportunity to “learn more about the history of people in British Columbia of Filipino heritage and to celebrate their contributions to the vibrancy and prosperity of the province”. For more on the significance of Lapu Lapu Day, our south-east Asia correspondent Rebecca Ratcliffe has written this helpful explainer. Here’s a look at where things stand: Vancouver’s interim police chief, Steve Rai, confirmed that the 11 victims who were killed in the car-ramming attacked ranged from five to 65 years old. He went on to say that dozens more are injured, “some critically and some have not yet been identified”. The Vancouver school board has announced that all of its flags in its schools and offices will be flown at half-mast as a result of the attack. In a statement posted on Sunday, the school board said: “We are committed to ensuring students, their families and staff have the care and assistance needed. Also, as a mark of respect, all flags at our schools and offices will be flown at half-mast.” Lapu Lapu Day’s festival organizer, RJ Aquino, has released a statement following the car-ramming attack, saying: “We’ve been making sure our family, friends, volunteers, and community partners who helped make the event a success are accounted for and are OK … It’s a great concern that things are circulating that haven’t been vetted and it’s not clear who’s attempting to collect people’s information as in who is the individual that created these Google Docs … we want to ensure that we lead with transparency and accountability.” Mark Carney, the prime minister said, along with the rest of the country, he was “shocked, devasted and heartbroken” to hear of the news of the deadly incident in Vancouver. “Those families are living every family’s nightmare. And to them and to the many others who were injured, to the Filipino Canadian community and to everyone in the broader lower mainland – Vancouver – I would like to offer my deepest condolences and my wishes for strength and compassion in this tragic time,” he added. Philippine president Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he was “completely shattered” to hear about the incident. “On behalf of the Philippine government and the Filipino people, Liza and I would like to express our deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and to the strong and thriving Filipino community in Canada,” he said, referring to his wife, the first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. In response to a question on the rise in mental health calls and who gets to make the final decision as to what security assets get deployed at public events, Vancouver interim police chief Steve Rai said: “When it comes to health-related issues, you don’t know who on the street walking around has an issue. You can’t be every 10ft on every block, it could be in a mall. It could be somewhere else. The question would be: how do we get to the root cause and fix it? It’s not policing the symptom. We’ve got to get to the root cause. We’ve got to get people help, and it’s not putting more cops on the street. Certainly, we’re crime fighters. We’re not healthcare fighters, so we need something at the back end, and those are other areas of responsibility, not the police.” Echoing Rai, Vancouver mayor Ken Sim said: “We can’t create a police state here, right? It doesn’t get to the root cause. The conversation keeps coming back to mental health. We need to take care of people that are sick, get them the care they need. It’s the only humane thing to do for those individuals. And then we start to avoid horrific events that are occurring on a regular basis, not just in Vancouver, but throughout our whole country. And that’s the conversation we have to have going forward, or this isn’t going to change.” Describing the process that police undergo to determine how much police presence should be made available to a public event, Vancouver’s interim police chief, Steve Rai, said: “So there is a formula where an assessment is done. It’s everything from … scanning all social media, is there anyone out there making threats on this event, is there a potential pop-up demonstration, is there somebody associated to this event that has a history with people, organizers, just a whole gamut of items. We also look at the past history of the event. So last year, I had mentioned earlier, there were zero interactions with police at this festival. It was a family-friendly cultural celebration involving kids, and we wanted to maintain that based on that information and that threat assessment.” Vancouver’s interim police chief, Steve Rai, confirmed that the 11 victims who were killed in the car-ramming attacked ranged from five to 65 years old. He went on to say that dozens more are injured, “some critically and some have not yet been identified”. He also said that a 24-hour assistance center has been established at the Douglas Park Community Centre. Vancouver mayor Ken Sim went on to say that the evidence “points to this not being an act of terrorism”. He went on to add: “He is known to police for a multitude of mental health interactions. Now it would appear that mental health appears to be the underlying issue here. And I want to be clear, if anything is to come of this tragedy, it has to be change. And I personally will not stop calling on governments to make these changes.” Vancouver’s mayor, Ken Sim, is addressing the media, saying that he has directed a full review of “our event safety measures, including barriers, traffic control and safety protocols”. “We have over 3,000 events and festivals per year in our city, the vast majority going happening without incident whatsoever. So I do encourage you, and I understand how people may feel, but I encourage you to keep your plans in place and enjoys. Enjoy these events,” he added. The Vancouver school board has announced that all of its flags in its schools and offices will be flown at half-mast as a result of the attack. In a statement posted on Sunday, the school board said: We are deeply saddened by the devastating incident at the Lapu Lapu event in Vancouver. Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, to those who were injured and to everyone who witnessed this tragic event … We are committed to ensuring students, their families and staff have the care and assistance needed. Also, as a mark of respect, all flags at our schools and offices will be flown at half-mast … In the face of this tragedy, we are reminded of the strength and resilience of our broader community. Together, through collective care and support, we will help our community cope and heal. Speaking to reporters, British Columbia premier David Eby urged the community to turn feelings of “rage” into support. “We don’t know why. But I want to turn the rage that I feel into ensuring that we stand with the Filipino community. That we deliver what they need. That we stand with those families that have lost loved ones, with those that have been injured,” Eby said. He also said that he plans to meet with Canadian prime minister Mark Carney tonight, adding that he has heard from the leaders of every major political party across the country, as well as the Filipino consul general, CBC reports. Several people were killed when a driver ploughed a car into a crowd at a street festival on Saturday in Vancouver. Police said they were investigating a ‘mass casualty incident’ and that a 30-year-old man from Vancouver had been arrested at the scene: Speaking to CBC News, Sheldon Nipshank, a witness at the car-ramming attack, told the outlet that he was walking to the school field to see Filipino American rapper Apl.de.ap perform. “But the music wasn’t playing no more, obviously,” Nipshank said. He went on to say that as he walked along a fence near a sidewalk, he started to see “bodies and injured people”. He added that he heard a woman yelling that she could not feel her legs and that he saw paramedics performing CPR on someone else. “They were going pretty hard trying to save his life,” he said, adding: “It was pretty traumatic.” Here are some images coming through the newswires from Vancouver: Lapu Lapu Day’s festival organizer, RJ Aquino, has released a statement following the car-ramming attack, saying: “We’ve been making sure our family, friends, volunteers, and community partners who helped make the event a success are accounted for and are OK. The team has been working with city officials and first responders in the aftermath of all this. We’re in the process of coordinating our next steps. Filipino BC and the Lapu Lapu Day team has received many offers of support and sympathy. At this time, we are actively figuring out a transparent process to ensure accountability in channeling resources to those in need.” He also warned against material that has been circulating following the attack, including apparent Google Docs aggregating people’s personal information. He said: “It’s a great concern that things are circulating that haven’t been vetted and it’s not clear who’s attempting to collect people’s information as in who is the individual that created these Google Docs. It’s fully understandable that there’s an immediate reaction to wanting to spread seemingly helpful information but we want to ensure that we lead with transparency and accountability. I have no idea who the owner is of those Google Docs and have zero visibility into what information has been collected and that should raise red flags for anyone who cares about the public good.” Mable Elmore, a member of the legislative assembly of British Columbia, just addressed reporters, saying: “I’m heartbroken and our thoughts and our love are with the casualties, their families, those injured, our volunteers. Our priority now in the Filipino community is providing support to those people.” Elmore, who said that the event took place just outside her office, went on to add: “We are collectively shattered but we are coming together as a community.” Vancouver’s interim police chief, Steve Rai, addressed reporters on Sunday, saying that there are now 11 confirmed deaths from the car-ramming attack, with the death toll expected to rise in the coming days. Rai added that dozens more are injured, with some sustaining serious injuries. Victims have been transported by ambulance to nine hospitals across metro Vancouver. The victims are both male and female and “young people” are among them, Rai said. The Lapu Lapu Day festival where hundreds of attendees were gathered was scheduled to end at 8pm PT, but there were still hundreds out on the street at the time. Rai did not identify the suspect publicly since charges have not been filed but said that he “does have a significant history of interactions with police and healthcare professionals related to mental health”. “For terrorism, there should be some political, religious ideology behind it. There are no indicators that this individual had that,” he said, adding that the suspect is a “Vancouver resident”. He also said that police had consulted with city and festival organizers and determined that a heavy police presence was not needed at the festival. Police will now work with city officials to “review all of the circumstances surrounding the planning of this event”. “For terrorism, there should be some political, religious ideology behind it. There are no indicators that this individual had that,” police said. They added that the suspect is a “Vancouver resident”. Police went on to say that the suspect is in “custody with us in a secure cell”. They added that “we’re familiar with him” and that “he is known to us”. Police have confirmed that there are now 11 deaths in the Vancouver car-ramming attack. In a press conference on Sunday, Vancouver police said that those injured were transported by ambulance to nine different hospitals through metro Vancouver. Interim Vancouver police chief Steve Rai said “the person we have in custody does have a significant history of interactions with police and health-care professionals related to mental health”. They also believe that the evidence currently at hand “does not lead us to believe this was an act of terrorism”. Charges have yet to be filed. Former Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has also expressed his condolences over the attack, saying on X: My heart goes out to the loved ones of all the victims of the tragic attack at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver. I join all Canadians in standing with the Filipino community at this difficult time. Mary Simon, governor general of Canada has released the following statement regarding the car-ramming attack: My husband, Whit and I extend our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of the victims of the tragic attack that occurred at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver. A joyous celebration of Filipino culture, community and heritage ended in loss of life and serious injuries as a result of a horrific act. I also want to express my gratitude to all the first responders who rushed to the scene of the incident; your courage, dedication, and swift action in the face of such devastation are deeply appreciated. Here are some images coming through the newswires from Vancouver: Mark Carney finished his address by saying the strength and resilience of the Filipino community is highlighted by the term bayanihan, a tradition of helping out your neighbour in a spirit of civic mindedness. “We will comfort the grieving, we will care for each other, we will unite in common purpose, “ he said. Carney’s speech is over but stick with us as we will continue to bring you the latest developments about the attack. A news conference with the Vancouver Police is expected to be held at 10:00 in Vancouver (17:00 GMT, 18:00 BST) – and we will be covering that live. Mark Carney said: Last night, families lost a sister, a brother, a mother, a father a son or a daughter. Those families are living every family’s nightmare. And to them and to the many others who were injured, to the Filipino Canadian community and to everyone in the broader lower mainland – Vancouver – I would like to offer my deepest condolences and my wishes for strength and compassion in this tragic time. I know that I join all Canadians in mourning with you. I know that Canadians are united with you. Carney says that the police are calling the incident – in which at least 9 people were killed and more than 20 others injured - a “car ramming attack”. The prime minister thanked emergency responders and says an investigation is ongoing to understand how and why the attack occurred. Mark Carney said overnight he was briefed by his national security and intelligence adviser and the public safety minister about the situation. He said, based on current evidence, there is no “active threat to Canadians”. The prime minister added that his ministers are “closely engaged” with local law enforcement, along with provincial and municipal officials. Mark Carney is speaking now. The prime minister said, along with the rest of the country, he was “shocked, devasted and heartbroken” to hear of the news of the deadly incident in Vancouver. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is expected to make a statement about the deadly incident shortly. Rebecca Ratcliffe is the Guardian’s Southeast Asia correspondent Migrante BC, a non-profit organisation that advocates for the rights of migrant Filipino workers, said it was “deeply shaken and saddened by the tragic events that took place tonight at the Lapu-Lapu Day block party in Vancouver”. It said: As a Filipino organization rooted in the community, we are devastated to hear of the injuries suffered by our fellow kababayan [fellow Filipinos], including seniors and children. While details are still being verified, our thoughts, love, and solidarity are with all the victims, their families, and everyone affected by this tragedy. This was meant to be a celebration of our history and unity. Instead, it has become a moment of deep grief and concern for our community. We call on the Filipino community to come together — to offer strength, compassion, and support to one another during this difficult time. Migrante BC stands ready to assist in any way we can and to support efforts for healing and accountability. Police in Vancouver said festival organisers were given wooden barriers to block off the road for the Lapu Lapu celebrations on Saturday. It is unclear if these barriers had been erected when the vehicle drove into the crowd yesterday – shortly after 20:00 local time (03:00 GMT, 04:00 BST). According to the Globe and Mail, some witnesses said the barriers were not in place throughout the entirety of the festival as they were sometimes removed to allow vendors and performers to pass through. We have not been able to independently verify this information. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney was due to attend a campaign event in Hamilton, Ontario, at 8am local time (1pm UK time), ahead of the nation’s federal election, but local media and Reuters news agency report that it has been delayed. Responding to the incident that took nine lives at last night’s Lapu Lapu Day Festival, Vancouver councillor Mike Klassen says his “heart is broken by the senseless tragedy”. Klassen added on a post on X that he was proud to open the festival yesterday morning on a day that he says was “meant to be a joyous celebration of our Filipino culture.” Klassen says his “heart goes out for the injured. Vancouver stands united with our Filipino community now and forever.” King Charles says he and Queen Camilla are “profoundly saddened” to learn of the “dreadful attack” in Vancouver. In a statement posted on X, the king wrote: “Our hearts and prayers go out to all those whose lives have been shattered by such a desperate tragedy, and we send our deepest possible sympathy at a most agonising time for so many in Canada.” Rebecca Ratcliffe is the Guardian’s Southeast Asia correspondent Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he was “completely shattered” to hear about the incident. “On behalf of the Philippine government and the Filipino people, Liza and I would like to express our deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and to the strong and thriving Filipino community in Canada,” he said, referring to his wife, the First Lady Liza Araneta-Marcos. “The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver is working with Canadian authorities to ensure that the incident will be thoroughly investigated, and that the victims and their families are supported and consoled. “We are one with the families of the victims and the Filipino community in Vancouver during this difficult time.” We have a video report of the aftermath of the deadly incident you can watch below: Police have set up a 24-hour assistance centre to help anyone who had been unable to contact relatives or friends who were at the festival. Vancouver Police said: 24-hour assistance centre has been established at the Douglas Park Community Centre, 801 West 22nd Avenue. Vancouver Police officers and Victim Services professionals have been deployed to help anyone who has not been able to contact a loved who was at the Lapu Lapu Festival. If you are not able to attend in person, please call 604-717-3321. A Vancouver Police news conference is to be held at 10:00 in Vancouver on Sunday (17:00 GMT, 18:00 BST), with Mable Elmore, a member of the legislative assembly for Vancouver-Kensington, joining, according to the Globe and Mail. It has just gone past 3.25am in Vancouver. Here is what we know so far about the deadly incident: At least nine people were killed when a driver ploughed a car into a crowd at a street festival in the Canadian city of Vancouver, according to police. Police said there were “multiple” fatalities and injuries in an earlier statement. We are waiting to hear confirmation about how many people remain injured. Police said they were investigating the “mass casualty incident” and had arrested a 30-year-old Vancouver man at the scene. The suspect was “taken into custody by people in the crowd” before police arrived. The suspect was “known to police in certain circumstances” , police said – it is not clear if he has a criminal record or exactly what officers meant by this. An official motive has not been revealed but police say they are confident it was not terror related. Police said the incident took place at East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street shortly after 20:00 local time (03:00 GMT; 04:00 BST), as members of the Filipino community gathered to celebrate Lapu Lapu Day, an annual festival put on by British Columbia’s Filipino community that commemorates a Filipino anti-colonial leader from the 16th century. Canadian prime minister Mark Carney said he is “devastated” by the deadly incident that occurred just two days before Canada’s general election. In another update on X, Vancouver police said at least nine people were killed after a man drove an SUV into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu street festival in Vancouver on Saturday. “As of now, we can confirm nine people have died after a man drove through a crowd at last night’s Lapu Lapu Festival. Our thoughts are with all those affected by this tragic incident,” Vancouver police said. The festival, celebrated especially in the central Philippines, honours Datu Lapu-Lapu, an indigenous Filipino leader who famously defeated Spanish forces led by Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan in 1521 and became a national hero. The centrepiece of the festivities in Vancouver is a multi-block street party in the Sunset neighbourhood featuring Filipino food and traditions, live performances and cultural displays. The party on Saturday was just starting to break up but many people were still in the streets when the dark SUV rammed into the crowd. The government of British Columbia officially recognised 27 April as Lapu-Lapu Day in 2023, acknowledging the cultural contributions of the Filipino-Canadian community, one of the largest immigrant groups in the province. Lapu-Lapu’s victory is celebrated in the Philippines as a symbol of nation’s resistance to colonisation and the bravery of its early leaders. The city of Lapu-Lapu on Mactan Island in the central Philippines is named in honour of Datu Lapu-Lapu and serves as living tribute to his legacy. The Philippine consulate in Vancouver said in a Facebook statement that it “expresses its deep concern and sympathies to the victims of the horrific incident”. “As we await more information about the incident, we pray that our community remains strong and resilient imbued with the spirit of bayanihan during this difficult time,” the consulate added in the statement. James Cruzat, a Vancouver business owner, was at the Filipino community’s annual Lapu Lapu Day festival and heard a car rev its engine and then “a loud noise, like a loud bang” that he initially thought might be a gunshot. “We saw people on the road crying, others were like running, shouting, or even screaming, asking for help. So we tried to go there just to check what was really actually happening until we found some bodies on the ground. Others were lifeless, others like, you know, injured,” Cruzat said. Cruzat added: It was terrible to see that kind of incident, that situation. It was heartbreaking. I couldn’t even imagine that it’s actually happening in real life, because normally we see that on TVs or movies. But when you are in that kind situation, it was really shocking. Like, you couldn’t think really, really well. You couldn’t do anything but to pray for them. In an update on X, Vancouver Police said: “At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism.” There is currently no information about any possible motives behind the incident. Here is some of what acting police chief Steve Rai said in a Vancouver Police news conference earlier. These quotes have been carried by BBC News. Rai said: There are “multiple injured” and “multiple fatalities” following the incident. “There are still family members who need to be contacted.” He did not want to be “unfair to families by putting out numbers that we aren’t even sure on yet”. The 30-year-old suspect from Vancouver was “known to police in certain circumstances”. The suspect was “taken into custody by people in the crowd” before police arrived at the scene. The Lapu Lapu Day celebration underwent a “robust security assessment” before it was allowed to be put on. In a statement posted on Instagram, Filipino BC, the group that hosts the local Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver, said it is heartbroken at the “senseless tragedy” and is urging people affected to access mental health and victim support services. It wrote in the social media post: We are still finding the words to express the deep heartbreak brought on by this senseless tragedy. We are devastated for the families and victims. We encourage everyone to check in, support and hold each other. Do not hesitate to access resources available. You are not alone. Attendees of the Lapu Lapu celebrations have been giving accounts of what they saw to the media. Saturday’s event featured a parade, a film screening, dancing and a concert, with two members of the Black Eyed Peas featured on the lineup published by the organisers. One witness told CTV News he saw a black vehicle driving erratically in the area of the festival just before the crowd was struck. Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada’s New Democratic Party, was among the attendees at the event, but left minutes before the vehicle arrived, CTV news said. “This is so horrific, I don’t even know what to say,” CTV quoted Singh as saying. “I was just there, and I just imagine the faces of the kids that I saw smiling and dancing.” “As we wait to learn more, our thoughts are with the victims and their families – and Vancouver’s Filipino community, who were coming together today to celebrate resilience,” BBC News quoted Singh, who is running in Canada’s federal election – which takes place on Monday, as saying. Festival security guard Jen Idaba-Castaneto told local news site Vancouver Is Awesome that she saw “bodies everywhere”. “You don’t know who to help, here or there,” she said. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has called the incident a “senseless attack”, while the leader of the British Columbia New Democratic Party, David Eby, said he was “shocked and heartbroken”, adding that his thoughts were with the victims and their loved ones. Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has said he is “devastated” by the deadly incident that occurred in Vancouver’s Sunset on Fraser neighbourhood on Saturday. In a post on X, Carney, who as the Liberal leader is in the midst of fighting a general election, wrote: I am devastated to hear about the horrific events at the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver earlier this evening. I offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver. We are all mourning with you. We are monitoring the situation closely, and thankful to our first responders for their swift action. Several people were killed when a driver ploughed a car into a crowd at a street festival on Saturday in the Canadian city of Vancouver, local police said. Vancouver Police say they’re investigating a “mass casualty incident” and that a 30-year-old man from Vancouver was arrested at the scene. Police said the incident took place at East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street shortly after 20:00 local time (03:00 GMT; 04:00 BST), as members of the Filipino community gathered to celebrate Lapu Lapu Day, an annual festival put on by British Columbia’s Filipino community that commemorates a Filipino anti-colonial leader from the 16th century. Officials have not said what the motive behind the incident was and are continuing their investigation. We are expecting to hear more from police in a media briefing later. Stay with us for all the latest developments.