Eleven dead after car driven into Vancouver street event

Police say local man with history of mental illness being held

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Vancouver police ruled out terrorism in a car ramming attack that killed 11 people between the ages of 5 and 65 at a Filipino heritage festival in the Canadian city, saying the suspect has a history of mental health issues. Dozens of others were injured, some critically, as the attack shook the country before a federal election.

A man driving a black Audi SUV entered the street just after 8 pm local time [GMT 0300] on Saturday and struck people attending the Lapu Lapu Day festival. A Vancouver man was arrested.

“It is the darkest day in Vancouver’s history,” police interim chief Steve Rai told a news conference. “The person we have in custody does have a significant history of interactions with police and health care professionals related to mental health,” he said.

Video 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.

Kris Pangilinan, who brought his pop-up clothing and lifestyle booth to the festival, 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,” he said. “And the sound of the acceleration, it sounds like an F1 car about to start a race.