2025 Vancouver car attack
| 2025 Vancouver car attack | |
|---|---|
 The intersection between East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street on April 27, a day after the attack, located adjacent to where the attack took place. | |
  Lapu Lapu Day Festival 2025 Vancouver car attack (Vancouver City) | |
| Location | East 43rd Avenue adjacent to Fraser Street[1] Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada |
| Coordinates | 49°13′52″N 123°05′28″W / 49.231°N 123.091°W |
| Date | April 26, 2025 8:14 p.m. PDT (UTC−07:00) |
Attack type | Vehicle-ramming attack |
| Weapons | Audi Q7 sports utility vehicle |
| Deaths | 11 |
| Injured | 20+ |
| Motive | Under investigation |
| Accused | Kai-Ji Adam Lo |
| Charges | Eight counts of second-degree murder |
On April 26, 2025, a vehicle-ramming attack took place at the Lapu Lapu Day festival, a public celebration of Filipino heritage in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The attack left eleven people dead and more than twenty others injured, making it the deadliest attack in Vancouver’s history. Alongside the 2018 Toronto van attack, it stands as the deadliest vehicle-ramming incident in Canadian history.
According to the Vancouver Police Department, the car attack was not an act of terrorism.[2]
Background
Lapu Lapu Day is a Filipino celebration named for Lapulapu, a Mactan chief who fought against Spanish colonization, and commemorates the victory of the chieftain and his allies against Ferdinand Magellan and his forces at the Battle of Mactan in 1521. British Columbia officially recognized the event in 2023, and an annual festival for Filipino Canadians—who hold a strong presence in Vancouver[3]—has been held in the city since the day was recognized in the province.[4] One thousand people were in the area at the time of the attack, according to the Vancouver Sun.[5]
According to two Vancouver City Council members, the venue was not cordoned off by city dump trucks as it was in previous city festivals.[6] According to VPD interim chief Steve Rai, police had conducted a security assessment of the festival with the City of Vancouver and festival organizers and determined there were no threats to the event or Filipino community, noting the previous year's festival had "zero issues."[7] The Vancouver Sun Run scheduled for the next morning went ahead with increased police presence after the Vancouver Police Department determined there was no ongoing threat to public safety.[8]
The attack occurred two days before the 2025 Canadian federal election.[5] New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh had attended the festival and left only minutes before the attack.[9]
Attack
On April 26, 2025, at approximately 8:14 p.m. PDT, a black Audi Q7 SUV[10] drove through a section of Fraser Street south of East 41st Avenue. The street had been converted into a food truck zone to serve the Lapu-Lapu Day Block Party, which was held at the adjacent John Oliver Secondary School.[11][12] Witnesses described bodies sent flying on impact with the car, and videos showed wreckage and victims scattered across a long stretch of road after the attack.[13]
Victims
Eleven people, ranging in age from 5 to 65 years old, were killed and more than 20 others were injured.[14][15][10] Vancouver General Hospital received several victims[16] and announced a code orange, indicating a mass casualty incident.[17] On the following day, the Ministry of Health confirmed that 32 people in total had been hospitalized, including the 11 dead, and that 17 people remained in hospital at that time.[18]
The deceased victims included 34-year-old Brazilian musician Clara "Kira" Ganapol Salim, one of the founders of the Carnival group Marcha Nerd.[19][20]
Accused
The driver, Kai-Ji Adam Lo,[21] a 30-year-old man from Vancouver[3] known to police prior to the incident, was apprehended by bystanders after attempting to flee[22] and taken into custody by police.
He is believed to have acted alone and was the only occupant of the car.[23] The Vancouver Police confirmed that the accused has a significant history of interactions with police and healthcare professionals that "related to mental health".[24] The police rejected terrorism as a motive in the incident.[25]
Throughout much of 2024, Lo had a history of serious incidents related to his family. On January 28, 2024, Lo's 31-year-old older brother, Alexander, was found dead in their Kensington-Cedar Cottage area home in East Vancouver. A 39-year-old man, also from East Vancouver, was later charged with second-degree murder in connection to the killing. Adam Lo organized an online fundraiser to cover costs of his brother's funeral. $9,320 of the required $10,000 was raised by 115 donors. In October 2024, the accused, Dwight Williams Kematch, pleaded not guilty. A trial is currently still pending.[26]
In August 2024, Lo's mother attempted suicide. Adam Lo organized an online fundraiser to help his mother with mounting bills, but only $175 was raised by four donors.
Only hours before the attack, a family member had contacted a psychiatric ward about Lo as his mental health seemed to be deteriorating. He appeared to suffer from delusions and paranoia. It is currently unknown whether any action was taken.[27]
Criminal proceedings
Lo was charged with eight counts of second-degree murder under Section 235 of the Criminal Code of Canada and made a court appearance for a bail hearing in the afternoon of April 27. Lo will be staying in police custody after not requesting bail during the appearance. [27][28] Lo's next court appearance in the Provincial Court of British Columbia was scheduled for May 26.[18] Vancouver Police indicated that further charges would likely be coming as the investigation continues to identify victims.[27]
Responses
Numerous local and national political figures offered their condolences, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, federal Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, federal New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh (who had attended the festival earlier in the day),[17] Governor General Mary Simon,[29] British Columbia premier David Eby, Vancouver mayor Ken Sim,[10][17] and federal Green Party co-leader Elizabeth May.[29] Vancouver Police Department interim chief Steve Rai described the attack as "the darkest day in our city's history".[30] King Charles III offered his condolences and said in a statement that he and Queen Camilla were "profoundly saddened" to hear of the attack.
The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver expressed sympathy,[4] as did Philippine President Bongbong Marcos.[31]
See also
References
- ^ "'Bodies everywhere': 11 people killed, many injured at Lapu Lapu Day in Vancouver". Vancouver Sun. April 26, 2025. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ "Vancouver Live: Nine killed and suspect arrested after vehicle hit crowd at Lapu-Lapu street festival". Reuters. April 27, 2025. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ a b Masih, Niha; Sands, Leo (April 27, 2025). "Multiple people killed, injured after vehicle runs into Vancouver crowd". The Washington Post. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ a b Lautens, Kristjan (April 27, 2025). "Vancouver killings: Several people dead, others injured after driver goes through Filipino street festival, police say". Toronto Star. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ a b Meenaktshi, Harshita (April 26, 2025). "Multiple dead, injured in Vancouver after vehicle plows into street festival". Reuters. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ Dobie, Cayley; Chan, Cheryl; Bolan, Jim; Johnston, Patrick; Ip, Stephanie (April 26, 2025). "'Bodies everywhere': Multiple people killed, injured at Lapu Lapu Day in Vancouver". Vancouver Sun. Archived from the original on April 27, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ Howell, Mike. "Vancouver mayor orders review of event safety measures after deadly festival attack". Coast Reporter. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ Chan, Kenneth (April 27, 2025). "Philippines flag raised at Vancouver Sun Run start line after Lapu Lapu Day festival tragedy". Daily Hive. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ Johansen, Crookall, Nicholas, Sarah (April 27, 2025). "Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh says ending campaign in Penticton is 'a tradition'". Castanet. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b c Judd, Amy (April 26, 2025). "Multiple killed, injured after vehicle drives into Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver". Global News. Archived from the original on April 27, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ Brennan, Lyle (April 27, 2025). "Driver Hits Crowd at Vancouver Festival, Leaving Multiple Dead". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ "Multiple people dead after driver rams vehicle into crowd at Vancouver street festival: police". The Globe and Mail. April 26, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "Vancouver wakes to tragedy of nine dead in ramming attack on Filipino street festival". CTV News. April 27, 2025. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Ali, Amir (April 27, 2025). "Mayor says Vancouver is "still a safe city" after Filipino festival tragedy". Daily Hive. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ "No active threats to Canadians after Vancouver attack, Carney says. Live updates here". CTV News. April 27, 2025. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Chinchilla, Rudy; Romero, Dennis (April 26, 2025). "Multiple dead and injured as driver plows into Vancouver crowd, police say". NBC News. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ a b c "Several people killed, others injured after vehicle drives into Vancouver street festival crowd". CBC News. April 26, 2025. Archived from the original on April 27, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ a b Kulkarni, Akshay (April 27, 2025). "Vancouver man charged with 8 counts of murder in Lapu-Lapu Day festival tragedy". CBC News. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Alcântara, Manoela; Portela, Maria Eduarda (April 27, 2025). "Brasileira está entre vítimas de atropelamento em festival no Canadá" [Brazilian national is among the victims of a hit-and-run at a festival in Canada]. Metrópoles (in Portuguese). Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ "Quem era Kira Salim, vítima brasileira morta em atropelamento no Canadá" [Who was Kira Salim, the Brazilian victim killed in a hit-and-run in Canada]. Estadão (in Portuguese). April 27, 2025. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ Weichel, Lisa Steacy, Kaija Jussinoja, Andrew (April 27, 2025). "Suspect charged with murder in Vancouver Filipino festival attack". CP24. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ "'A number of people' killed in Vancouver after car driven into crowd at Filipino festival". CityNews. April 26, 2025. Archived from the original on April 27, 2025. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "Lapu Lapu festival: PM Carney 'heartbroken' after man drives car into Vancouver festival killing nine". BBC News. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ "Police say death toll from car ramming at Vancouver festival has risen to 11". BBC News. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ "11 killed as a vehicle plows into a Filipino street festival in Vancouver. Police rule out terrorism". AP News. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ "Preliminary inquiry starts on Vancouver murder charge". October 21, 2024. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ a b c Bolan, Kim (April 27, 2025). "Driver charged with murder in Vancouver's Lapu Lapu Day tragedy". Vancouver Sun. Retrieved April 28, 2025.
- ^ Schmunk, Rhianna (April 27, 2025). "Vancouver festival tragedy: Suspect charged with 8 counts of murder, court records show". CBC News.
- ^ a b "Suspect charged with eight counts of second degree murder after Vancouver car ramming". BBC News. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ "11 confirmed dead in 'mass casualty event' at Vancouver Filipino festival". CTV News. April 27, 2025. Retrieved April 27, 2025.
- ^ Maralit, Kristina (April 27, 2025). "Marcos 'shattered' by Vancouver attack that left nine dead". The Manila Times. Retrieved April 27, 2025.