At least nine people were killed and multiple others injured after a motorist drove into a crowd during a Filipino street festival in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday, police said. The suspect was arrested at the scene.
Police said they had arrested a 30-year-old Vancouver man, who was “known” to them, at the scene of the incident on Saturday evening. “At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism,” Vancouver police said in an X post.
According to Vancouver Police, the motorist drove into the crowd at East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street shortly after 8 PM, local media reported. This occurred during the Lapu Lapu Day street festival.
The government of British Columbia officially recognised April 27 as Lapu-Lapu Day in 2023, acknowledging the cultural contributions of the Filipino-Canadian community, one of the largest immigrant groups in the province.
Footage from Ahron Sabado shows emergency vehicles at the scene on Saturday evening.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said more than 20 people were injured in what police described as a car ramming attack. He said an investigation had begun into how and why the attack took place.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr said he was “shattered to hear about the terrible incident” and extended his “deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and to the strong and thriving Filipino community in Canada“.
