Several people were killed on Saturday evening when a driver ploughed into a crowd at a street festival in Vancouver, according to local police.
“A number of people have been killed and multiple others are injured,” Vancouver police said in a statement posted online. Authorities confirmed that the driver is now in custody.
Witnesses described the scene as chaotic. One bystander told CTV News they saw a black vehicle driving erratically near the festival just before it struck the crowd. Thousands of people were reportedly in the area, according to the Vancouver Sun.
“I didn’t see the driver — all I heard was an engine revving,” said Yoseb Vardeh, a food truck operator, in an interview with Postmedia. “I ran outside and looked down the road — there were just bodies everywhere,” he said, his voice breaking. “He went through the whole block, straight down the middle.”
The tragedy occurred shortly after 8 p.m. near East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street, where members of Vancouver’s Filipino community had gathered to celebrate Lapu Lapu Day, a festival honoring a 16th-century Filipino anti-colonial leader.
“Our thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time,” said Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also expressed his condolences, saying: “I am devastated to hear about the horrific events at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver earlier this evening. We are all mourning with you.”
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