Vancouver police safe the scene after a automobile drove right into a crowd on the Lapu Lapu Competition in Vancouver, British Columbia on Saturday.
Wealthy Lam/The Canadian Press through AP
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Wealthy Lam/The Canadian Press through AP
VANCOUVER — The motive force of a automobile struck revelers at a road competition in Canada, killing and injuring an unknown variety of individuals on the occasion celebrating Filipino tradition, police stated.
The automobile entered the road at 8:14 p.m. Saturday the place individuals had been attending the Lapu Lapu Day competition, the Vancouver Police Division stated in a social media submit.
“Quite a few individuals have been killed and a number of others are injured after a driver drove right into a crowd,” police stated. The precise variety of useless or injured was not instantly obtainable.
A 30-year-old Vancouver man was arrested on the scene and the division’s Main Crime Part is overseeing the investigation, police stated.
“At the moment, we’re assured that this incident was not an act of terrorism,” the police division posted early Sunday.
The competition was being held in a South Vancouver neighborhood. Video posted on social media confirmed victims and particles strewn throughout a protracted stretch of street, with a minimum of seven individuals mendacity motionless on the bottom. A black SUV with a crumpled entrance part may very well be seen in nonetheless photographs from the scene.
James Cruzat, a Vancouver enterprise proprietor, was on the occasion and heard a automobile rev its engine after which “a loud noise, like a loud bang” that he initially thought is perhaps a gunshot.
“We noticed individuals on the street crying, others had been like working, shouting, and even screaming, asking for assist. So we tried to go there simply to examine what was actually truly taking place till we discovered some our bodies on the bottom. Others had been lifeless, others like, you understand, injured,” Cruzat stated.
“It was horrible to see that type of incident, that state of affairs. It was heartbreaking,” Cruzat stated. “I could not even think about that it is truly taking place in actual life, as a result of usually we see that on TVs or motion pictures. However when you find yourself in that sort state of affairs, it was actually surprising. Like, you could not suppose actually, very well. You could not do something however to hope for them.”
Vancouver Mayor Kenneth Sim stated in a social media submit that the town would offer extra info when attainable.
“I’m shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific incident at at present’s Lapu Lapu Day occasion,” Sim stated. “Our ideas are with all these affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino group throughout this extremely tough time.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney and different Canadian political figures posted messages expressing shock on the violence, condolences for victims and help for the group celebrating its heritage on the competition.
“I provide my deepest condolences to the family members of these killed and injured, to the Filipino Canadian group, and to everybody in Vancouver. We’re all mourning with you,” Carney wrote.
“As we wait to be taught extra, our ideas are with the victims and their households — and Vancouver’s Filipino group, who had been coming collectively at present to have a good time resilience,” wrote Jagmeet Singh, chief of the New Democratic Get together, who was on the competition earlier within the day.
“My ideas are with the Filipino group and all of the victims focused by this mindless assault. Thanks to the primary responders who’re on the scene as we wait to listen to extra,” Conservative Get together chief Pierre Poilievre wrote.
David Eby, the premier of British Columbia, the province the place Vancouver is positioned, stated he was shocked and heartbroken. “We’re in touch with the Metropolis of Vancouver and can present any help wanted,” Eby wrote.
