Police believe the suspect in a “car ramming attack” at a Vancouver Filipino community event that killed nine people and injured over 20 acted alone and that there is no “active threat” to Canadians, Prime Minister Mark Carney said as the final day of the federal election campaign began on a dark note.
Party leaders mourned the victims of
the tragedy at the Lapu Lapu street festival
in Vancouver on Saturday evening.
During a brief statement Sunday morning, Carney said that the 30-year-old suspect behind what Vancouver police have called a “car ramming attack” was in custody and that police believe the individual acted alone.
“Authorities have confirmed that one person is in custody, and it is believed that they acted alone,” Carney said. “Currently, we do not believe that there is any active threat to Canadians.”
“Last night, families lost a sister, a brother, a mother, a father, a son or a daughter. Those families are living every family’s nightmare,” he added, his eyes welling up with tears.
On Saturday evening, a speeding SUV plowed into a pedestrian-only area along 43rd Avenue near Fraser Street in Vancouver during Lapu Lapu Day in Vancouver as the event was coming to a close and many attendees lingered after a concert.
‘Bodies everywhere’: Multiple people killed, injured at Lapu Lapu Day in Vancouver
The vehicle was seen speeding past food trucks and striking a number of festival goers, killing nine and injuring over 20 others.
Vancouver police said shortly after the incident that the main suspect was held on site by bystanders until police arrived and that he was known to the service “in certain circumstances.”
“At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism,” the Vancouver Police Department wrote on social media.
The tragedy shook up the final day of the federal election campaign, with national parties reviewing their itineraries and messaging at the last minute to respond to the horrible attack.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who attended the Lapu Lapu festival Saturday and left minutes before the attack, told reporters that evening that he was shocked by the “death and destruction.”
“I just keep on picturing the kids’ faces. I keep on thinking about the kids that were just having such an amazing time, the joy, the incredible warmth of the people there,” he said.
“The horrible death and destruction that happened at an event like that is something I can’t comprehend, and I keep on playing through my mind.”
On social media, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre wrote early Sunday that he was “
shocked by the horrific news.” His itinerary Sunday was changed at the last minute to include a stop at a Filipino church to speak to community members and make a public statement about the attack.
King Charles also issued a statement mourning victims of the “dreadful”
.
“Our hearts and prayers go out to all those whole lives have been shattered by such a desperate tragedy and we send our deepest possibly sympathy at a most agonizing time for so many in Canada,” reads the statement signed “Charles R”.
More to come
.
National Post, with files from the Vancouver Sun
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