The horrific truck attack, which took place at the annual Lapu Lapu festival celebrating Filipino culture on Saturday night, killed 11 and also left dozens of people injured
Vancouver: Suspect charged with murder after 11 people killed at festival
Terrified witnesses have recalled the “darkest day in Vancouver’s history” after a sickening “lone wolf” drove into a crowdm killing at least 11. The horrific incident, which took place at the annual Lapu Lapu festival celebrating Filipino culture on Saturday night, also left dozens of people injured.
Suspect Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, was arrested at the scene after being apprehended by brave bystanders. He has now been charged with eight counts of second degree murder and police said more charges were possible. Investigators ruled out terrorism in what Interim Police Chief Steve Rai proclaimed “the darkest day in Vancouver’s history.” Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said the suspect has a “significant history of mental health issues.”
Hundreds of people gathered Sunday evening for a vigil honoring the victims. “It’s sad. Really sad,” said Emily Daniels, who brought a bouquet. “I can’t believe something like this could happen so close to home.”
Nathaly Nairn and her 15-year-old daughter also carried flowers. They had attended the festival on Saturday, and Nairn recounted seeing the damaged SUV and bodies on the ground. She said police had to escort them through the crime scene to they could get back to their car.
“Something really dark happened last night,” she said, as she and her daughter wiped away tears. She described seeing a dented and bloodied SUV, and bodies on the ground. Speaking at the vigil, she said: “Now we’re just here supporting our community, trying to help my daughter process what we saw yesterday, trying to be there for the Filipino community that has been there for us so much.”
Video footage of the aftermath shows the dead and injured along a narrow street in South Vancouver lined by food trucks. The front of the driver’s SUV is smashed in. Victims ranged in age from just five-year-old to 65, according to Chief Rai, with many rushed to hospital for treatment. Prime Minister Mark Carney said: “Those families are living every family’s nightmare.”
‘All I can remember is bodies flying up in the air’
A clothing vendor recalled hearing what sounded “like an F1 car about to race”, immediately followed by screams. Kris Pangilinan said he will never forget the sound of bodies hitting the bonnet of the black Audi SUV as it rammed into the crowd.
“All I can remember is seeing bodies flying up in the air higher than the food trucks themselves and landing on the ground and people yelling and screaming,” he said. “it looked like a bowling ball hitting bowling pins and all the pins are flying into the air.”
Adonis Quita pulled his nine-year-old son out of the way as the SUV plowed into the line of families waitinf for food. His son had just relocated to Vancouver from the Philippines, meaning the festival was his first taste of home away from home.
But now, the young boy cannot close his eyes without seeing flashbacks of bloody bodies, some as young as five, hitting the pavement. As Mr Quita pulled his son away from the commotion, he said he saw festivalgoers circling the SUV and subduing the subject.
‘Like something out of a horror movie’
Vincent Reynon, 17, was leaving the festival with his girlfriend after 8 p.m. when he saw fire trucks and police officers rushing to where the festival was being held. They decided to circle back to see what was going on. He said they saw people crying as they approached, then bodies on the ground when they arrived at the scene.
“It was horrible to see,” Reynon said. “It was like something straight out of a horror movie or a nightmare.”
Sight of woman’s crushed skull burned into memory
Lorena Sales, 17, ran back to the festival from the bus stop when she saw ambulances rushing to the scene. She and her friends arrived to find a sea of bodies in the street. The image of a woman who had her skull crushed in the collision is burned into Sales’ memory, she said.
As community members gathered at Vancouver’s Filipino Fellowship Baptist Church on Sunday to mourn those killed in the attack and pray for the injured, Ms Sales said: “It hurts, it really hurts to see that someone could do this to a community of mine that’s known to be so kind and caring.”
Gran shielded grandkids from truck attack
Carayn Nulada used her body to shield her granddaughter and grandson from the SUV as it barreled by. Her daughter, meanwhile, was struck in the arm and fell down but was able to get up quickly.
She was in Vancouver General Hospital’s emergency room early Sunday morning trying to find news about her brother, who was run down in the attack and suffered multiple broken bones. Doctors identified him by presenting the family with his wedding ring in a pill bottle. He was stable but needed surgeries.
Witnesses ‘really traumatic’ discovery of a disfigured body
Mohamad Sariman had been helping at his wife’s food truck when he heard a loud boom that he initially thought was an explosion. He looked out the truck’s window and saw a disfigured body on the ground.
When he and his wife opened the door, they saw another body. “It was really, really traumatic,” Sariman admitted.