Several people lost their lives and many others were injured when a vehicle drove into a crowd attending a Filipino street festival in Vancouver, according to police on Saturday.
Authorities confirmed that the driver involved in the incident has been taken into custody, sharing the update via social media platform X.
The tragic event occurred shortly after 8 p.m. (0300 GMT) near East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street, where the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party was being held.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed deep sorrow over the tragedy, posting on X: “I am devastated to hear about the horrific events at the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver earlier this evening.”
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and British Columbia Premier David Eby also conveyed their condolences on social media.
Eyewitness accounts described chaotic scenes at the festival. One witness told CTV News that he noticed a black vehicle driving erratically near the event site moments before it struck the crowd.
According to the Vancouver Sun, thousands of people were attending the celebration at the time.
“I didn’t get to see the driver, all I heard was the engine revving,” said Yoseb Vardeh, co-owner of the Bao Buns food truck, during an emotional interview with Postmedia.
“I stepped out of my truck, looked down the street, and there were bodies everywhere,” Vardeh said, his voice breaking. “The vehicle went through the entire block, right down the middle.”
