EXPLAINER
Suspect arrested after vehicle rams into crowd at the Philippine street festival in Canada, killing nine people.
Police in Canada have ruled out “terrorism” as a motive for a deadly car ramming at a street festival in Vancouver.
At least nine people were killed and several injured on Saturday night while they attended celebrations for a major Filipino festival.
Investigations are ongoing as a 30-year-old suspect is in custody.
Here is what to know about the incident and the latest on the ground:
What happened in Vancouver?
At 8:14pm on Saturday (03:14 GMT on Sunday), a man drove into a crowd gathered for Lapu-Lapu Day, according to the Vancouver Police Department.
The festival’s main act had just concluded, and crews were taking down the stage, tents and vendor stalls. They also lifted a barricade that had been blocking traffic to allow a vehicle through when a car suddenly sped into the area, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp (CBC) reported.
Witnesses described the vehicle as a black SUV and said they heard a car rev its engine before ploughing into the area. Photos of the vehicle believed to be involved circulated online with a damaged front.
A witness who did not want to be named told the Reuters news agency that the driver had tried to run but was chased down by festival-goers and held against a fence for about 10 minutes until police arrived and arrested him.
Advanced life support ambulances were dispatched to the scene, where bodies were seen lying on the ground.
About 1am on Sunday (08:00 GMT), police ruled out “an act of terrorism” as a motive for the crash while they continued to investigate the incident.
At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism.
— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) April 27, 2025
Where did the car crash in Vancouver?
The incident occurred near the intersection of East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street.
Vancouver is a coastal city in Canada’s westernmost province of British Columbia. It is known for its natural beauty, including mountains, forests and the Pacific Ocean.
Home to 662,248 people, it is considered one of the most diverse cities in Canada. According to the 2021 census, a little more than half of the city’s population identified with one or more racial minority groups, and at least 244 different cultural origins were identified by its residents.
Vancouver also has the second largest Filipino population in Canada after Toronto.
What is the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver?
It is an annual celebration in the Philippines to honour their Indigenous leader Datu Lapu-Lapu, who fought against Spanish colonisation. On April 27, 1521, he led his men in defeating Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan.
British Columbia officially recognised this date as Lapu-Lapu Day in 2023.
Saturday’s event marked the second year that Filipino community groups in Vancouver organised a block party to commemorate the occasion. It featured a parade, a film screening, dancing and a concert with two members of the Black Eyed Peas featured in the lineup published by the organisers.
What do we know about the victims?
Police confirmed early on Sunday that nine people have been killed while the number of those injured remains unclear.
Vancouver interim Chief Constable Steve Rai said at a news conference that the victims were taken to multiple hospitals in the region.
Who is the suspect?
The Vancouver Police Department said its officers took the 30-year-old “lone male” suspect into custody at the scene.
No further details about the man have been released although Rai said he was “known to police in certain circumstances”.
Rai also declined to comment on a video circulating online that shows a young man in a black hoodie apologising while surrounded by shouting bystanders.
What’s the latest on the ground?
A heavy police presence remains in the area as of early Sunday. A 24-hour assistance centre for affected individuals has been established at the Douglas Park Community Centre.
Additionally, police and victim services professionals have been deployed to assist people who have not heard from friends or family members who attended the festival.
What are the reactions to the Vancouver car ramming?
Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “devastated” to hear about the deadly incident.
“I offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver,” he wrote in a post on X.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, who is facing off against Carney in elections on Monday, said in a post on social media that he was “shocked by the horrific news”.
Philippine Senate President Francis Escudero condemned the act and urged the Philippine consulate in Vancouver to provide assistance to the victims.
