What began as a joyful cultural celebration turned into a nightmare in Vancouver on Saturday night. A black Audi SUV plowed into a crowd attending the Lapu Lapu Festival, killing 11 people and injuring dozens more. The festival, organized by Vancouver’s Filipino community, had drawn thousands to a closed street lined with food trucks and artisan booths in South Vancouver.
The incident occurred around 8 p.m., shortly after a performance by Apl.de.ap, the Filipino American rapper and founding member of the Black Eyed Peas. Initially, witnesses said no one thought much of the SUV maneuvering past a portable barrier. Many assumed it belonged to a vendor packing up after the concert.
However, the scene quickly turned horrific.
According to Kris Pangilinan, a vendor at the festival, the SUV first crawled slowly through the crowd before suddenly accelerating. “He sideswiped someone near the vendor booths,” Pangilinan recounted. “Then I heard the loud revving of the engine, and before we knew it, he was hitting dozens of people.”
Bystanders and witnesses quickly intervened, detaining the driver before police arrested him at the scene. The driver, the lone occupant of the vehicle, remains in custody. Officials have ruled out terrorism, stating that evidence points instead to mental health issues. Interim Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai confirmed that the suspect had a significant history of interactions with police and mental health professionals.
“This is the darkest day in our city’s history,” said Chief Rai during a press briefing on Sunday. He added that some of the injured are in critical condition, and the death toll could still rise.
The attack claimed the lives of victims ranging in age from 5 to 65. Prime Minister Mark Carney described the tragedy as a “car-ramming attack” and expressed condolences to the grieving families and the Filipino community.
The festival was supposed to be a celebration of Filipino culture and heritage, but in the absence of vehicle barriers along the food truck street, disaster struck. Police and first responders acted swiftly, even using vendors’ tables as makeshift stretchers to transport the wounded.
The city of Vancouver is now grappling with deep sorrow and shock. A memorial is already being planned to honor the victims, and the investigation into the suspect’s motives and background continues.
What was meant to be a “beautiful day for a celebration” has become an unforgettable tragedy for Vancouver’s Filipino community and the city as a whole.