EXPLAINER
Suspect arrested after car rams into crowd on the Philippine avenue pageant in Canada, killing 9 individuals.
Police in Canada have dominated out “terrorism” as a motive for a deadly car ramming at a avenue pageant in Vancouver.
At the very least 9 individuals have been killed and several other injured on Saturday evening whereas they attended celebrations for a serious Filipino pageant.
Investigations are ongoing as a 30-year-old suspect is in custody.
Here’s what to know in regards to the incident and the newest 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 pageant’s foremost act had simply concluded, and crews have been taking down the stage, tents and vendor stalls. In addition they lifted a barricade that had been blocking visitors to permit a car by means of when a automobile out of the blue sped into the world, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC) reported.
Witnesses described the car as a black SUV and stated they heard a automobile rev its engine earlier than ploughing into the world. Images of the car believed to be concerned circulated on-line with a broken entrance.
A witness who didn’t need to be named informed the Reuters information company that the motive force had tried to run however was chased down by festival-goers and held towards a fence for about 10 minutes till police arrived and arrested him.
Superior life assist ambulances have been dispatched to the scene, the place our bodies have 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.
At the moment, we’re assured that this incident was not an act of terrorism.
— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) April 27, 2025
The place did the automobile 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.
House to 662,248 individuals, it’s thought-about one of the vital various cities in Canada. Based on the 2021 census, somewhat greater than half of town’s inhabitants recognized with a number of racial minority teams, and no less than 244 completely different cultural origins have been recognized by its residents.
Vancouver additionally has the second largest Filipino inhabitants in Canada after Toronto.
What’s the Lapu Lapu pageant in Vancouver?
It’s an annual celebration within the Philippines to honour their Indigenous chief Datu Lapu-Lapu, who fought towards 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 12 months that Filipino neighborhood teams in Vancouver organised a block get together 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 printed by the organisers.
What do we all know in regards to the victims?
Police confirmed early on Sunday that 9 individuals have been killed whereas the variety of these injured stays unclear.
Vancouver interim Chief Constable Steve Rai stated at a information convention that the victims have been taken to a number of hospitals within the area.
Who’s the suspect?
The Vancouver Police Division stated 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 stated 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 newest 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 Group Centre.
Moreover, police and sufferer companies professionals have been deployed to help individuals who haven’t heard from buddies or relations who attended the pageant.
What are the reactions to the Vancouver automobile ramming?
Prime Minister Mark Carney stated he was “devastated” to listen to in regards to the lethal incident.
“I provide 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 put up on X.
Conservative chief Pierre Poilievre, who’s dealing with off towards Carney in elections on Monday, stated in a put up 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.
