WORLD HEADLINE-TERRORISM? | VANCOUVER: 9 dead in Philippines festival road crash in Vancouver
Scene of the street festival tragedy in Vancouver, Canada./ PNA / Photo courtesy of @TheOfficial_KH X
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Vancouver car attack: Terrorism ruled out after 11 killed, suspect arrested | LiveNOW from FOX
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VANCOUVER – Nine people were confirmed dead after a speeding vehicle ran over attendees of a street party in Vancouver, Canada, the Vancouver Police Department said.
According to the police, the vehicle entered the street at 8:14 p.m. on Saturday where people were attending the Lapu Lapu Day Festival, an event celebrating Filipino culture.
Aside from the fatalities, several others were injured.
A 30-year-old Vancouver man was arrested at the scene and the police department’s major crime section is overseeing the investigation, the police added.
“At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism,” the police department posted early Sunday.
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Mable Elmore, a member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly, and RJ Aquino, chair of the community advocacy group Filipino BC, hold a news conference the day after a man drove a vehicle into pedestrians at the annual Lapu Lapu festival celebrating Filipino culture, in Vancouver, Canada, on April 27, 2025. Canadian police arrested a man on April 26 after a car plowed into a street party in the western city of Vancouver, killing 11 people. — Photo by Agence France-Presse
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WATCH VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcERkL-3EBE
9 people killed after SUV rams into Vancouver street festival
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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.
James Cruzat, a Vancouver business owner, was at the event and heard a car rev its engine and then “a loud noise, like a loud bang” that he initially thought might be a gunshot.
“We saw people on the road crying, others were like running, shouting, or even screaming, asking for help. So we tried to go there just to check what was really actually happening until we found some bodies on the ground. Others were lifeless, others like, you know, injured,” Cruzat said.
“It was terrible to see that kind of incident, that situation. It was heartbreaking,” Cruzat said. “I couldn’t even imagine that it’s actually happening in real life, because normally we see that on TVs or movies. But when you are in that kind (of) situation, it was really shocking. Like, you couldn’t think really, really well. You couldn’t do anything but to pray for them.”
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Vancouver man charged with murder in vehicle ramming of Filipino festival crowd
Eyewitness Dale Selipe told the Vancouver Sun that she saw injured children on the street after the vehicle rammed into the crowd.
“There was a lady with her eyes staring up, one of her legs was already broken. One person was holding her hand trying to comfort her,” Selipe told the newspaper.
‘Bodies everywhere’
Photos published by Canadian broadcaster CBC showed emergency crews at the scene as well as large crowds at the block party earlier Saturday.
Festival security guard Jen Idaba-Castaneto told local news site Vancouver Is Awesome that she saw “bodies everywhere.”
“You don’t know who to help, here or there,” she said.
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. Our thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time,” Sim said.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and other Canadian political figures posted messages expressing shock at the violence, condolences for victims and support for the community celebrating its heritage at the festival.
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“I offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver. We are all mourning with you,” Carney wrote.
“As we wait to learn more, our thoughts are with the victims and their families — and Vancouver’s Filipino community, who were coming together today to celebrate resilience,” wrote Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party, who was at the festival earlier in the day.
“My thoughts are with the Filipino community and all the victims targeted by this senseless attack. Thank you to the first responders who are at the scene as we wait to hear more,” Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre wrote.
David Eby, the premier of British Columbia, the province where Vancouver is located, said he was shocked and heartbroken. “We are in contact with the City of Vancouver and will provide any support needed,” Eby wrote.
Hotline opened
The Philippine government has opened a hotline for Filipinos affected by the tragic incident, the Department of Migrant Workers announced.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver expressed deep concern about the incident and sympathies to the victims.
“As we await more information about the incident, we pray that our community remains strong and resilient imbued with the spirit of bayanihan during this difficult time,” it said.
President Marcos gave assurance that his administration is working with the Canadian government to ensure a thorough probe into the crash, which he described as “terrible.”
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“I am completely shattered to hear about the terrible incident during a Lapu Lapu Day Block Party in Vancouver, BC, Canada,” the President said in a statement last night.
“On behalf of the Philippine government and the Filipino people, (First Lady) Liza (Marcos) and I would like to express our deepest sympathies to the families of the victims and to the strong and thriving Filipino community in Canada,” he said.
Senate President Francis Escudero described the attack as “shocking and horrific,” as he urged authorities to ensure justice is served.
“There is no place in this world for such horrible acts of violence and I trust that the Canadian law enforcement agencies will leave no stone unturned to ensure that justice is served,” he said.
Likewise, Sen. Joel Villanueva called on all agencies to assist Filipinos affected by the tragedy.
“We offer our sincere condolences to the families of the victims affected by the horrific incident at the Lapu-Lapu Day Festival in Vancouver, Canada. Our thoughts and prayers are with you during this difficult time. What was meant to be a joyful celebration for our Filipino community in Canada has tragically turned into an event marked by loss and injury among our kababayans,” Villanueva said.
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The deadly incident comes a year after Canadian Nathaniel Veltman was sentenced to life in prison for running down a Muslim family with his truck on the street in Ontario in 2021.
The ruling in Veltman’s case was the first in Canada to link white supremacy and terrorism in a murder case.
Canadians go to the polls Monday after a frenetic election race where candidates have wooed voters on issues including rising living costs and tackling US President Donald Trump’s tariffs. — Alexis Romero, Marc Jayson Cayabyab
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