In a tragic turn of events on Saturday night, Vancouver's Lapu Lapu Day festival, celebrating the Filipino Canadian community, became the scene of a horrific incident when a driver accelerated into attendees, resulting in several deaths and injuries.
Deadly Incident at Vancouver Festival: Multiple Casualties Reported
Deadly Incident at Vancouver Festival: Multiple Casualties Reported
A driver has crashed into a crowd at a Filipino cultural festival in Vancouver, leading to numerous casualties.
The police have arrested a 30-year-old man who is known to them prior to this incident. During a news briefing, authorities refrained from revealing specific numbers regarding fatalities or injuries, but confirmed that casualties were in the "multiples."
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as the vehicle veered into the crowd just after 8 p.m., triggering immediate emergency responses. Vancouver's Mayor Ken Sim expressed his shock and sorrow over the occurrence, labeling it a "horrific incident." Local hospitals, including Vancouver General Hospital, indicated they had received many injured individuals from the festival, with updates on their conditions expected soon.
Prime Minister Mark Carney shared his condolences through social media, expressing distress over the event and solidarity with the Filipino community and all affected residents of Vancouver.
The Lapu Lapu Day festival, which commemorates the legacy of Datu Lapu-Lapu, a historic figure who resisted Spanish colonization in the Philippines, was expected to draw a crowd of approximately 100,000 festival-goers. The Filipino population in Canada, nearing one million, contributes significantly to the cultural fabric of the nation, with British Columbia being home to a large portion of this community. The investigation into the event's motive and the aftermath continues as the city mourns alongside the victims’ families.
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as the vehicle veered into the crowd just after 8 p.m., triggering immediate emergency responses. Vancouver's Mayor Ken Sim expressed his shock and sorrow over the occurrence, labeling it a "horrific incident." Local hospitals, including Vancouver General Hospital, indicated they had received many injured individuals from the festival, with updates on their conditions expected soon.
Prime Minister Mark Carney shared his condolences through social media, expressing distress over the event and solidarity with the Filipino community and all affected residents of Vancouver.
The Lapu Lapu Day festival, which commemorates the legacy of Datu Lapu-Lapu, a historic figure who resisted Spanish colonization in the Philippines, was expected to draw a crowd of approximately 100,000 festival-goers. The Filipino population in Canada, nearing one million, contributes significantly to the cultural fabric of the nation, with British Columbia being home to a large portion of this community. The investigation into the event's motive and the aftermath continues as the city mourns alongside the victims’ families.
