At least nine killed after car driven through Vancouver street festival

At least nine people have been killed after a car was driven into a crowd at a street festival in Vancouver, police have confirmed.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said more than 20 people were injured in the incident, which occurred at approximately 20:14 local time on Saturday (03:14 GMT on Sunday).

The Vancouver Police Department stated that it was "confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism" and that a male suspect aged 30 is currently in custody. An investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Police said the suspect had driven into pedestrians at the annual Lapu Lapu festival, which celebrates Filipino culture, at East 43rd Avenue and Fraser in the south of the city.

Steve Rai, Vancouver Police's interim chief, told a news conference that there had been one vehicle and one suspect involved in the incident. Mark Carney said police were calling it a "car-ramming attack".

The owner of a food truck selling bao buns at the festival, Yoseb Vardeh, told the BBC World Service that the attack happened right in front of his van.

"This guy, he killed some of my customers," he said. "There was people waiting for their buns that got hit."

"I stepped outside of my food truck and I just saw bodies underneath people's food trucks, husbands crying for their wives or their children... it was just horrible," Mr. Vardeh continued. Unverified footage posted on social media showed a number of police cars, ambulances and fire engines at the scene, with injured people lying on the ground.

On Sunday, less than 24 hours before the country's national election, Prime Minister Mark Carney changed his campaign events to express his condolences. "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," Carney, the Liberal Party leader, said.

"I know that I share your grief with all Canadians." According to a Liberal Party source, large rallies in Calgary and Richmond, British Columbia, with thousands of registered supporters, have been canceled "to reflect an appropriately respectful approach and tone as the day proceeds." Smaller community-focussed engagements in Saskatoon and Edmonton are proceeding.

Sources said there was a "continued conversation with Vancouver and British Columbia authorities" about heading to the city.

In a post, Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim expressed his "thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver's Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time." He also stated that he was "shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific incident." Peter Fry, one of Vancouver's city councilors, told the BBC that locals were having trouble processing what had happened. "This event was fantastic because it was a huge, lively, family-oriented street party. To see it turn so horrible so quickly and unexpectedly has, I think, our entire city is in shock," he said.

Although he is not running for re-election this year, Harjit Sajjan, a Liberal MP who represented Vancouver South, said that the events were "absolutely tragic" and that he would be supporting "the community as best as we can." Lapu Lapu Day is celebrated every year in the Philippines on 27 April to commemorate Lapu-Lapu, a national hero who resisted Spanish colonisation.

The festival was officially set up in Vancouver - which is home to 141,230 Canadians of Filipino descent - in 2023. "Symbolises the cultural harmony and mutual respect that thrive in the province of British Columbia," reads the description on its website. Philippines President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr said he was "shattered to hear about the terrible incident", adding that the Philippine consulate general would work with Canadian authorities to ensure the tragedy was thoroughly investigated.

King Charles III, who is also head of state of Canada, said he and Queen Camilla were "profoundly saddened to learn of the dreadful attack and utterly tragic loss of life in Vancouver".

He added in a statement: "Our hearts and prayers go out to all those whose lives have been shattered by such a desperate tragedy and we send our deepest possible sympathy at a most agonising time for so many in Canada."

Leaders of different Canadian political parties have also shared messages of condolence.

The incident was described as a "senseless attack" by Canadian Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, while British Columbia New Democratic Party leader David Eby described himself as "shocked and heartbroken." New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh - who had attended the festival but was not present when the incident occurred - said he was "horrified to learn" that innocent people had been killed and injured.

"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," he added.

On Monday, there will be a federal election in Canada. Carney, Singh, and Poilievre are all candidates. Burnaby Central, Singh's constituency, is just east of the scene of the incident.

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