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Suspect who drove into crowd at Lapu Lapu Festival identified as 30-year-old Vancouver man
The Vancouver Police Department is actively investigating a mass casualty incident that occurred during a neighborhood street festival in South Vancouver on Saturday night, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.
At approximately 8:14 p.m. on April 26, 2025, a man driving a black Audi SUV drove into a large crowd attending the Lapu Lapu Day Festival near East 43rd Avenue and Fraser Street.
The vehicle struck numerous attendees before coming to a stop.
A 30-year-old Vancouver man was arrested at the scene without further incident.
He remains in custody as the investigation continues.
Preliminary reports indicate that at least eight individuals, including a child, have died as a result of the crash.
At least six others sustained serious injuries and were transported to area hospitals for treatment.
Suspect who drove into crowd at Lapu Lapu Festival identified as 30-year-old Vancouver man. A man driving a black Audi SUV drove into a large crowd attending the Lapu Lapu Day Festival near East 43rd Avenue and Fraser Street. #Canada Driver arrested.https://t.co/CZKAfOYeC2 pic.twitter.com/FreItY5q4V— News Channel3 Now (@newschannel3now) April 27, 2025
Vancouver Police have stated that an official update on casualty numbers will be provided during a media briefing scheduled for midnight local time.
Eyewitnesses described the horrifying scene, recounting how the SUV barreled through vendor stalls and crowds of festival-goers.
One witness told they heard screams and cries as people desperately tried to flee from the speeding vehicle.
Another festival attendee described the scene as “terrifying” and “chaotic.”
In a statement released Saturday evening, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim expressed profound sorrow over the tragedy:
“We are shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific incident that occurred tonight at the Lapu Lapu Day event. Vancouver Police have confirmed multiple fatalities and injuries. Our thoughts and heartfelt sympathies are with all those affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time.”
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the suspect.
However, sources have indicated that the individual has a history of mental health challenges and may have had prior interactions with law enforcement as recently as the day before the incident.
The Vancouver Police Department’s Major Crime Section is leading the investigation, and officials are working to determine the motive behind the attack.
Deana Lancaster, a spokesperson for Vancouver General Hospital — the region’s leading trauma center — confirmed that multiple victims from the Lapu Lapu Day Festival were being treated at the facility.
The Vancouver Police Department is urging anyone who witnessed the incident or has video footage to come forward and assist in the ongoing investigation.
Further updates will be provided as additional information becomes available.
Authorities have identified one of the victims killed in the devastating car-ramming attack at Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu Festival as Rizza Azzir.
The suspect, a 30-year-old man from Vancouver, remains in custody. Officials have confirmed that, at this time, the incident is not being treated as an act of terrorism.
According to Vancouver Police, the attack resulted in the deaths of 11 individuals, with dozens more injured.
Patients have been transported to nine different hospitals across the region, and authorities warn that the death toll may continue to rise in the coming days and weeks.
The suspect, whose name has not been officially released in this statement, has a significant criminal history, with over 60 prior police interactions.
The tragic incident unfolded just after 8:00 p.m. PT on Saturday, near East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street, where the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party was concluding after drawing up to 100,000 attendees throughout the day.
Interim Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai confirmed that the driver of a black SUV drove into the crowd, causing mass casualties.
Speaking Sunday morning, Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed the nation’s sorrow, stating that more than 20 individuals were injured.
He described the event as a time meant for joy and community celebration, which was instead marked by horrific violence. “Canadians are heartbroken at what police are describing as a car-ramming attack,” Carney said. He further extended condolences to the families of those killed and injured, later posting on social media that he was “devastated to hear about the horrific events” in Vancouver.
Following the attack, Vancouver Coastal Health declared a “code orange,” signaling a mass casualty event. While initial reports confirmed nine fatalities, updated figures early Sunday morning revised that number to 11.
The Lapu Lapu Day Festival honors the legacy of Lapu-Lapu, a Filipino hero and Indigenous resistance fighter who opposed Spanish colonization in the 16th century.
Saturday marked the second annual celebration of the event in Vancouver, emphasizing the Filipino-Canadian community’s enduring contributions and the spirit of bayanihan — collective community effort.
British Columbia’s Filipino community is the third-largest cultural group in the province, following South Asian and Chinese populations.
Statistics Canada reports that more than 174,000 individuals of Filipino descent live in B.C., comprising approximately 3.5 percent of the province’s total population.
The investigation into the attack remains active, and updates will be provided as more information becomes available.