Vancouver Deaths: 9 killed as SUV rams into crowd during Lapu Lapu festival - Key things to know

In a shocking incident, at least nine people were killed and many were injured after a man drove his SUV into a crowd at a Filipino heritage festival in the Canadian city of Vancouver.The police have ruled out it as an act of terrorism.

Theincident took placeon Saturday at 8:14 PM when the vehicle entered the street and struck people attending the Lapu Lapu Day festival, Vancouver Police Department said in a social media post.

“At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism,” the police department said early Sunday.

A 30-year-old Vancouver-based man was arrested at the scene and the Vancouver Police Department’s Major Crime Section is overseeing the investigation, the police said.

The accused was arrested after initially being apprehended by bystanders, Vancouver Police’s Interim Chief Steve Rai said at a news conference.

A video circulating on social media shows a young man in a black hoodie with his back against a chain link fence, alongside a security guard and surrounded by bystanders screaming and swearing at him.

“I’m sorry,” the accused said, holding his hand to his head.

Another video posted on social media showed victims and debris strewn across a long stretch of road, with at least seven people lying immobile on the ground.

A black SUV with a crumpled front section could also be seen in still photos from the scene.

Vancouver Mayor Kenneth Sim said in a social media post that the city would provide more information when possible.

“I am shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific incident at today’s Lapu Lapu Day event,” Sim said. “Our thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time."

According to news agency AP, Vancouver business owner James Cruzat, who was at the event and heard a car rev its engine, said: “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.”

About Lapu Lapu Day festival

The Lapu Lapu Day festival was being held in a South Vancouver neighborhood.

The Lapu Lapu Day celebrates Datu Lapu-Lapu, an Indigenous chieftain who stood up to Spanish explorers who came to the Philippines in the 16th century.

The organizers of the Vancouver event said he “represents the soul of native resistance, a powerful force that helped shape the Filipino identity in the face of colonization.”

Vancouver had more than 38,600 residents of Filipino heritage in 2021, representing 5.9% of the city’s total population, according to Statistics Canada.