Introduction to the Incident
A man drove a vehicle into a crowd at a Filipino heritage festival in the Canadian city of Vancouver, killing at least 11 people and injuring an unknown number of others, police said Sunday. The vehicle entered the street at 8:14 p.m. on Saturday and struck people attending the Lapu Lapu Day festival, the Vancouver Police Department said in a social media post.
Details of the Attack
At least 11 people were killed after a man drove into a crowd at a Filipino heritage festival in Vancouver, Canada. An unknown number were injured, police said Sunday. A 30-year-old Vancouver man was arrested at the scene and the department’s Major Crime Section is overseeing the investigation, police said.
Investigation and Response
The vehicle entered the street at 8:14 p.m. on Saturday and struck people attending the Lapu Lapu Day festival, the Vancouver Police Department said in a social media post. Several other people were injured, but the exact number of casualties was not immediately available. "At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism," the police department posted early Sunday. Interim Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai told a news conference that the man was arrested after initially being apprehended by bystanders. "We have had substantive contact with him over mental health issues," Rai told a news conference.
Eyewitness Accounts
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.
Vancouver police investigate a crime scene after a man drove into pedestrians at the annual Lapu Lapu festival celebrating Filipino culture, at East 43rd Avenue and Fraser, in the south of Vancouver on April 26, 2025. (Photo by DON MACKINNON/AFP via
"I’m sorry," the man says, holding his hand to his head. Rai declined to comment on the video but said the person in custody was a "lone male" who was "known to police in certain circumstances."
The Backstory
The festival was being held in a South Vancouver neighborhood. 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 be seen in still photos from the scene.
Local Perspective
Carayn Nulada said she pulled her granddaughter and grandson off the street and used her body to shield them from the SUV. She said her daughter suffered a narrow escape. "The car hit her arm and she fell down, but she got up, looking for us because she is scared," said Nulada, who described children screaming, and pale-faced victims lying on the ground or wedged under vehicles. "I saw people running and my daughter was shaking."
Official Response
Canadian Prime Minister Carney speaks out after a vehicle rammed into a crowd at a Vancouver street festival, leaving 9 dead and 20+ injured. In his remarks, Carney offered condolences to the victims’ families, praised first responders, and vowed a full investigation into the attack. 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."
What’s Next
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, the agency that conducts the national census. 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." Prime Minister Mark Carney and other political leaders on the final day of the election campaign posted messages expressing shock at the violence, condolences for victims and support for the community celebrating its heritage.
Conclusion
The incident at the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver is a tragic reminder of the importance of community and the need for support in the face of adversity. The city and its leaders have come together to offer condolences and support to the victims and their families, and to vow a full investigation into the attack.
FAQs
Q: What happened at the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver?
A: A man drove a vehicle into a crowd at the festival, killing at least 11 people and injuring an unknown number of others.
Q: Who was arrested in connection with the incident?
A: A 30-year-old Vancouver man was arrested at the scene and the department’s Major Crime Section is overseeing the investigation.
Q: What is the current status of the investigation?
A: The police department has stated that they are confident that the incident was not an act of terrorism, and that the person in custody was a "lone male" who was "known to police in certain circumstances."
Q: How has the community responded to the incident?
A: The city and its leaders have come together to offer condolences and support to the victims and their families, and to vow a full investigation into the attack.
