Vancouver Police will investigate crime scenes after a man runs into a pedestrian at the annual Lapu Lapu Festival, celebrating Philippine culture on April 26, 2025, in East 43rd Avenue and Fraser, south of Vancouver.
Don McKinnon | AFP | Getty Images
Police said Saturday that many people were killed and several others were injured in Vancouver after vehicles were rushed into crowds at a festival on Philippine Street in the western Canadian city.
Police are investigating a massive victim incident and said they arrested a 30-year-old Vancouver man at the scene but did not immediately give him the number of deaths or injuries.
“At this point, I am confident that this incident is not a terrorist act,” Vancouver police said in the X-Post.
At a midnight press conference, police said the suspects were “known” to them, but did not elaborate. The man was initially detained by people on the scene.
“There were many deceased people and others injured. It’s unfair to estimate the exact number as the victims were taken to multiple hospitals in the area,” said Vancouver Interim Police Chief Steve Ly.
The incident occurred near 41st Avenue and Fraser Street at 8pm (0300 GMT), 41st Avenue and Fraser Street, when the Lapu-Lapu Day Block Party was being held to celebrate the heroes of the Filipino people.
The British Columbia government officially recognized it as the 2023 Lapu-Lapu Day on April 27, recognising the cultural contributions of the Filipino-Canadian community, one of the state’s largest immigration groups.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in X:
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim and British Columbia Premier David Ebby posted similar comments to X.
One witness told CTV News that he saw a black vehicle driving irregularly in the festival area just before the crowd was hit.
‘terrible’
CTV News said Jagmeet Singh, the leader of Canada’s New Democrats, was one of the attendees at the event, but left just minutes before the vehicle arrived.
“This is so scary. I don’t even know what to say,” CTV quoted Singh as saying. “I was just there, but imagine the faces of the kids who saw the smiles and dance.”
The federal elections in Canada will take place on Monday.
Another witness who didn’t want to be identified said he saw about 15 people lying on the ground after the dark SUV plunged into the crowd. Witnesses said the driver tried to run but was chased by the festival guy and held on the fence for about 10 minutes before police arrived.
Vancouver City Councilman Peter Fry told CTV News he was at the event earlier in the day.
“It was a great day. A great event. A huge community event. And it’s not going to ruin us or our community to end with such a tragedy, but it’s scary,” he said.
Steve Ly, interim police chief for Vancouver Police, told a news conference that on April 26, 2025, there were vehicles and suspects at the annual Lapu Lapu Festival celebrating Philippine culture on East 43rd Avenue and Fraser south of Vancouver.
Don McKinnon | AFP | Getty Images
Celebrated in the central Philippines, the festival celebrates Datu Lapu Lapu, the chief of the Philippine army, who defeated the Spanish army led by Ferdinand Magellan at the Battle of Mactan in 1521.
The highlight of Vancouver’s festival is a multi-block street party near Sunset, featuring Filipino cuisine and traditions, live performances and cultural exhibits.
The Vancouver Sun said thousands of people were in the area.
“We couldn’t see the driver. All we heard was the engine Rev,” Yoseb Vardeh, co-owner of the food truck Bao Buns, said in an interview with Postmedia.
“I’m just going outside the food truck, looking down the road, and there are bodies everywhere,” Vardeh said as his voice broke. “He went through the entire block and went straight down the middle.”
