Vancouver driver plows into crowd of people attending Filipino festival, killing multiple victims

A driver ran a car into a crowd at a Filipino festival in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday night, leaving multiple victims dead and others injured, local authorities said. 

At least nine people were killed when the driver plowed into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day block party shortly after 8 p.m., the Vancouver Police Department said in a social media post. The exact number of injured was not immediately available.

Police said the suspect is a 30-year-old man from Vancouver who was arrested at the scene. No further details about the suspect or a motive were immediately provided.

“At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism,” police said in a post early Sunday.

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The festival was being held in a South Vancouver neighborhood. Video posted on social media showed victims and debris strewn across a long stretch of road, with at least seven people lying immobile on the ground. A black SUV with a crumpled front section could be seen in still photos from the scene.

James Cruzat, a Vancouver business owner, told The Associated Press that he was at the festival when he suddenly heard a car rev its engine and then “a loud noise, like a loud bang” that he initially thought might be a gunshot.

“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,” Cruzat said.

“It was terrible to see that kind of incident, that situation. It was heartbreaking,” Cruzat said. “I couldn’t even imagine that it’s actually happening in real life, because normally we see that on TVs or movies. But when you are in that kind of situation, it was really shocking. … You couldn’t do anything but to pray for them.”

Vancouver Mayor Kenneth Sim said in a post on X that officials would provide more information when possible.

“I am shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific incident at today’s Lapu Lapu Day event,” Sim said. “Our thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time.”

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Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “devastated” at the violence that unfolded at the festival.

“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,” Carney wrote.

Vancouver Police Department’s Major Crime Section is leading an investigation into the incident.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

Fox News Digital’s Bradford Betz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.