Police have charged a man with murder after a car crashed into a festival crowd in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Saturday night, killing 11 people and injuring dozens more.
Vancouver police said Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, faces eight counts of second-degree murder, with more charges expected as the investigation continues. Authorities warned that the death toll could rise.
The suspect, a Vancouver resident with a known history of mental illness, was familiar to police. Officials emphasized the incident is not being treated as terrorism, citing mental health issues as a likely factor. Victims ranged from ages 5 to 65 and included both males and females, according to interim Police Chief Steve Rai. More than two dozen others suffered injuries, some critically, and some victims remain unidentified.
Footage circulating online showed the aftermath, with emergency workers aiding victims and a badly damaged black SUV stopped among overturned food trucks at what had been a pedestrian-only festival area celebrating Filipino culture. Rai said the tragedy struck during the city’s Lapu-Lapu Day block party and that the suspect was detained by the crowd before being arrested by police.
Despite a prior risk assessment that found no threats to the event, police acknowledged that a review of the security planning will follow. Over 100 officers are now assigned to the case.
The crash occurred around 8:14 p.m. on East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street. Rai declined to discuss a motive but confirmed the suspect had significant prior interactions with law enforcement and healthcare services related to mental health.
Witnesses, including a food truck owner, described hearing a vehicle accelerating before the car barreled through the pedestrian zone, leaving bodies in its path. Victims were rushed to nine hospitals, with Vancouver General Hospital treating several of the injured.
Mayor Ken Sim expressed his sorrow on social media, offering condolences to those impacted and standing in solidarity with Vancouver’s Filipino community. British Columbia Premier David Eby and Prime Minister Mark Carney also extended support, with Carney highlighting the resilience of the Filipino Canadian community and urging unity during this difficult time.
Lapu-Lapu Day, officially recognized in British Columbia in 2023, commemorates the Indigenous leader Lapu-Lapu’s victory over Ferdinand Magellan in 1521.
Canada is home to nearly a million people of Filipino descent.
A vigil and community gathering are planned in Vancouver Sunday evening, where Mayor Sim will meet with community members.
