Vancouver Lapu Lapu festival latest: Multiple dead after car crashes into crowd at Filipino street festival

Canadian Police have said they are “confident” that the fatal incident at a street festival on Saturday night “was not an act of terrorism”.

Canadian political figures are reacting to the fatal incident at a street festival in Vancouver on Saturday incident.

Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party who was at the festival earlier in the day, said: “As we wait to learn more, our thoughts are with the victims and their families – and Vancouver’s Filipino community, who were coming together today to celebrate resilience.”

Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre said: “My thoughts are with the Filipino community and all the victims targeted by this senseless attack. Thank-you to the first responders who are at the scene as we wait to hear more.”

David Eby, the premier of British Columbia, the province where Vancouver is located, said he was shocked and heartbroken. “We are in contact with the City of Vancouver and will provide any support needed,” he added.

Vancouver mayor Ken Sim said in a statement on X that he was “shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific incident at today’s Lapu Lapu Day event”.

“Our thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time.”

“I didn’t get to see the driver, all I heard was an engine rev,” Yoseb Vardeh, co-owner of food truck Bao Buns, said in an interview with Postmedia.

“I got outside my food truck, I looked down the road and theres just bodies everywhere,” said Vardeh, as his voice broke.

“He went through the whole block, he went straight down the middle.”

Vancouver Police have just issued a further statement after the incident on Saturday evening.

The force have now identified the suspect who was arrested at the scene as a 30-year-old man from Vancouver.

It added: “The investigation is ongoing and is being led the Vancouver Police Department’s Major Crime Section.”

It is not yet known whether the incident at Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver on Saturday evening was an accident or deliberate.

Canadian police said the driver of a car which ploughed into a crowd was in custody, but did not add any more detail on the nature of the incident.

Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has released a statement after the incident in Vancouver on Saturday evening.

He said he was monitoring the situation closely and added: ““I am devastated to hear about the horrific events at the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver earlier this evening.

“I offer 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 monitoring the situation closely, and thankful to our first responders for their swift action.”

A number of people have been killed after a car was driven into a crowd at a street festival in Vancouver, Canadian police said.

The driver, who struck multiple pedestrians at the annual Lapu Lapu festival on Saturday evening, has been taken into custody.

Vancouver Police said “multiple others” were injured in the incident but did not confirm an exact toll.