On Saturday night at a local Filipino Festival, a Vancouver man drove through a crowd of celebration-goers and impacted hundreds. In total, at least 11 have been pronounced dead, with dozens more injured. The driver, revealed to be Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, is said to have taken his black Audi SUV and run through a large crowd of people, with deaths ranging from 5 years old to 65 years old. He is currently in police custody.
Tragedy Struck At Vancouver Festival, “Darkest Day”
Kai-Ji Adam Lo, a 30-year-old Vancouver resident with a history of mental health struggles, took a day of joy and turned it into tragedy and sorrow when he drove through a crowd at a Filipino Festival Saturday night, around 8:15 PM. “This is the darkest day in our city’s history,” said Steve Rai, the Vancouver Police Department’s acting chief. Worst of all, the 11 current reported deaths could continue to rise as many injured are in critical condition.
The incident that occurred at the Lapu-Lapu Day Block Party is not suspected of being a terrorist attack, according to authorities. “There are many unanswered questions about why this horrific crime happened, the motive of the person who did it, and whether anything could have been done to prevent it,” Rai said. He added that the suspect, Lo, has “a significant history of interactions with police and health care professionals related to mental health.”
Videos of the scene in Vancouver have made their way to law enforcement and the public. The video shows the aftermath of the incident, as first responders rushed to the scene to provide medical care to the victims. In the background, viewers can see what appears to be a black SUV with heavy damage to the front of the car. Police arrested the 30-year-old suspect on the scene.
Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke to the media after the horrifying event. “I extend my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver. We are all mourning with you. We are closely monitoring the situation and are grateful to our first responders for their swift action.”
Children and Families Traumitized By Events In Vancouver
Bystanders who were at the event or nearby describe the terror of the moment as the joyful celebration turned to heartbreak. According to Kris Pangilinan, as reported by AP, “saw the vehicle enter past the barricade slowly before the driver slammed on the gas in an area that was packed with people after a concert. He said hearing the sounds of bodies hitting the vehicle will never leave his mind.”
“He sideswiped someone on his right side and I was like, ‘Oh, yo yo.’ And then he slammed on the gas. And the sound of the acceleration, it sounds like an F1 car about to start a race. He slammed on the gas, barreled through the crowd. And 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. It looked like a bowling ball hitting bowling pins and all the pins are flying into the air.”
Another Vancouver business owner, James Cruzat, stated that after hearing noises that sounded like a gun, “We saw people on the road crying, others were like running, shouting, or even screaming, asking for help. So we tried to go there just to check what was really actually happening until we found some bodies on the ground. Others were lifeless, others like, you know, injured.” There were also reports of young children being shielded or carried away by parents as they screamed in terror. The ages of the victims of the tragedy start as young as five years old.
Bystanders held the suspect before police arrived. A video circulating the internet shows a young man crying and apologizing to the crowd. However, the police have not responded to the clip. The investigation remains ongoing, and a motive for the terrible Vancouver tragedy has not yet been released. Kai-Ji Adam Lo has been charged with 8 counts of second-degree murder, although additional charges could be added as more details are obtained by police. As further information is released to the public, this story will be updated.
