VANCOUVER, British Columbia — On what should have been a jubilant spring evening filled with the scent of crispy lumpia and caramelized plantains, tragedy struck at a Filipino cultural festival in Vancouver. As families gathered to celebrate their heritage, a black Audi SUV ploughed through the crowd, killing 11 people and injuring dozens more.

Lines for food trucks had wrapped around the block as the sun dipped below the skyline. Just as vendors were restocking their supplies, a horrifying scene unfolded — one that would mark what authorities are calling “the darkest day in Vancouver’s history.”

Moments Before the Tragedy

Attendees were savouring Filipino street foods, laughing, and enjoying live performances at the Lapu Lapu Day festival, a celebration honouring the Indigenous Filipino chieftain who resisted Spanish colonization. Then, chaos erupted.

Witnesses described the roar of an engine revving like a Formula One race car before the black SUV tore into the crowd.

Kris Pangilinan, a local vendor, recounted the horrifying sight: “It looked like a bowling ball hitting bowling pins — bodies were flying higher than the food trucks themselves.”

A Split-Second Escape for Some, Tragedy for Others

Adonis Quita, attending the festival with his 9-year-old son, barely managed to pull the boy out of harm’s way. The event, which was meant to be their first joyful celebration since relocating from the Philippines, turned into a nightmare.

“My son keeps seeing flashbacks every time he closes his eyes,” Quita said. “Children as young as five were crushed right before our eyes.”

Immediate Aftermath: Arrest and Chaos

The driver, identified as 30-year-old Vancouver resident Kai-Ji Adam Lo, was apprehended by bystanders before police arrived. Lo now faces eight counts of second-degree murder, with more charges expected as investigations continue.

Authorities swiftly ruled out terrorism as a motive. Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim confirmed that Lo has a significant history of mental health challenges.

The SUV came to rest against a chain-link fence as an outraged crowd cornered the driver. Video footage shows him clutching his head, muttering, “I’m sorry,” as furious bystanders screamed in disbelief.

Victims: A Community Devastated

Victims ranged in age from 5 to 65. Along the once-vibrant food truck lane, bodies lay beneath white tarps while first responders rushed the wounded to nearby hospitals.

British Columbia’s Interim Police Chief Steve Rai solemnly addressed the press: “Those families are now living every family’s worst nightmare.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney echoed the sentiment, calling it a tragedy that shook the entire nation — a heartbreaking backdrop just days before Canada’s federal election.

Tales of Survival and Loss

Carayn Nulada shielded her grandchildren from the oncoming vehicle, suffering minor injuries herself. A doctor at Vancouver General Hospital showed Nulada’s family her brother’s wedding ring in a pill bottle to verify his identification—a heartbreaking event.  He is in stable condition, albeit still in the hospital undergoing many operations.

Others, like 41-year-old Emily Daniels, paid respect with flowers at vigils. A heart-wrenching moment at Vancouver General Hospital, doctors presented Nulada’s family with her brother’s wedding ring in a pill bottle to confirm his identity. He remains hospitalized, facing multiple surgeries, but is in stable condition.

Witnesses Describe a Horror Scene

Those at the festival struggle to erase the nightmarish images from their minds.

Helping at his wife’s food truck, Mohamad Sariman first believed an explosion had happened. Glancing outside, he was appalled to find dead bodies strewn over the pavement.

  “It felt like a scene straight out of a horror movie,” said 17-year-old Vincent Reynon, who watched the mayhem grow with his girlfriend.   People were crying all around.   One could see blood floating around.

 Another festival goer, young Lorena Sales, recalls seeing a woman’s crushed body.   Dabbing away tears, she said, “I don’t think I’ll ever forget that.” 

 A City and a Community Still Deversing 

 Hundreds gathered at vigils around Vancouver to place bouquets at makeshift memorials and light candles. At the Filipino Fellowship Baptist Church, prayers for the dead and injured echoed through tear-filled services.

For many, the tragedy is personal.

Nathaly Nairn, who had been at the festival with her daughter the night of the attack, returned to pay her respects. Still shaken, she described how police escorted her through the crime scene, past the wrecked SUV and the carnage it left behind.

“Today we’re just trying to be there for our community, the same way they have always been there for us,” she said through tears.

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