EXPLAINER
Suspect arrested after car rams into crowd on the Philippine avenue competition in Canada, killing 9 folks.
Police in Canada have dominated out “terrorism” as a motive for a deadly car ramming at a avenue competition in Vancouver.
Not less than 9 folks had been killed and several other injured on Saturday night time whereas they attended celebrations for a serious Filipino competition.
Investigations are ongoing as a 30-year-old suspect is in custody.
Here’s what to know in regards to the incident and the most recent on the bottom:
What occurred in Vancouver?
At 8:14pm on Saturday (03:14 GMT on Sunday), a person drove right into a crowd gathered for Lapu-Lapu Day, in line with the Vancouver Police Division.
The competition’s essential act had simply concluded, and crews had been taking down the stage, tents and vendor stalls. Additionally they lifted a barricade that had been blocking site visitors to permit a car by when a automotive all of the sudden sped into the world, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC) reported.
Witnesses described the car as a black SUV and mentioned they heard a automotive rev its engine earlier than ploughing into the world. Photographs of the car believed to be concerned circulated on-line with a broken entrance.
A witness who didn’t need to be named advised the Reuters information company that the driving force had tried to run however was chased down by festival-goers and held in opposition to a fence for about 10 minutes till police arrived and arrested him.
Superior life help ambulances had been dispatched to the scene, the place our bodies had been seen mendacity on the bottom.
About 1am on Sunday (08:00 GMT), police dominated out “an act of terrorism” as a motive for the crash whereas they continued to research the incident.
Right now, we’re assured that this incident was not an act of terrorism.
— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) April 27, 2025
The place did the automotive crash in Vancouver?
The incident occurred close to the intersection of East forty first Avenue and Fraser Road.
Vancouver is a coastal metropolis in Canada’s westernmost province of British Columbia. It’s identified for its pure magnificence, together with mountains, forests and the Pacific Ocean.
Dwelling to 662,248 folks, it’s thought-about one of the vital numerous cities in Canada. In accordance with the 2021 census, slightly greater than half of town’s inhabitants recognized with a number of racial minority teams, and a minimum of 244 totally different cultural origins had been recognized by its residents.
Vancouver additionally has the second largest Filipino inhabitants in Canada after Toronto.
What’s the Lapu Lapu competition in Vancouver?
It’s an annual celebration within the Philippines to honour their Indigenous chief Datu Lapu-Lapu, who fought in opposition to Spanish colonisation. On April 27, 1521, he led his males in defeating Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan within the Battle of Mactan.
British Columbia officially recognised this date as Lapu-Lapu Day in 2023.
Saturday’s occasion marked the second yr that Filipino neighborhood teams in Vancouver organised a block social gathering to commemorate the event. It featured a parade, a movie screening, dancing and a live performance with two members of the Black Eyed Peas featured within the lineup revealed by the organisers.
What do we all know in regards to the victims?
Police confirmed early on Sunday that 9 folks have been killed whereas the variety of these injured stays unclear.
Vancouver interim Chief Constable Steve Rai mentioned at a information convention that the victims had been taken to a number of hospitals within the area.
Who’s the suspect?
The Vancouver Police Division mentioned its officers took the 30-year-old “lone male” suspect into custody on the scene.
No additional particulars in regards to the man have been launched though Rai mentioned he was “identified to police in sure circumstances”.
Rai additionally declined to touch upon a video circulating on-line that reveals a younger man in a black hoodie apologising whereas surrounded by shouting bystanders.
What’s the most recent on the bottom?
A heavy police presence stays within the space as of early Sunday. A 24-hour help centre for affected people has been established on the Douglas Park Neighborhood Centre.
Moreover, police and sufferer providers professionals have been deployed to help individuals who haven’t heard from associates or members of the family who attended the competition.
What are the reactions to the Vancouver automotive ramming?
Prime Minister Mark Carney mentioned he was “devastated” to listen to in regards to the lethal incident.
“I supply my deepest condolences to the family members of these killed and injured, to the Filipino Canadian neighborhood, and to everybody in Vancouver,” he wrote in a publish on X.
Conservative chief Pierre Poilievre, who’s dealing with off in opposition to Carney in elections on Monday, mentioned in a publish on social media that he was “shocked by the horrific information”.
Philippine Senate President Francis Escudero condemned the act and urged the Philippine consulate in Vancouver to supply help to the victims.
