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Death toll rises to 11 day after car drives into crowd in Vancouver

Evidence markers and Vancouver Police vehicles sit at a scene after a driver killed multiple people Saturday during a Filipino community festival Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Vancouver, British Columbia. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson)
11 people are confirmed to have died in the attack in Vancover, Canada. Picture: Alamy

By Flaminia Luck

The death toll has risen to 11 after a car drove into a crowd in Vancouver - with more than 20 injured.

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A driver, who has not been named, "drove into a crowd at a street festival" at about 8pm local time on Saturday.

The victims are aged between 5 and 65, police said.

Police said that a 30-year-old man is in custody. Officers said that he was "known to police in certain circumstances".

Officers also said they were "confident" the attack was not an act of terrorism.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was "devastated" by the attack. He added that the victims' families were going through "a nightmare".

King Charles, who is the head of state in Canada, said Saturday night's attack on a Filipino street festival was "dreadful" and "profoundly tragic".

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King Charles
King Charles is the head of state in Canada. Picture: Getty

The King added: "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 agonizing time for so many in Canada."

Acting Police Chief Steve Rai said there are "multiple injured" and "multiple fatalities", but "there are still family members who need to be contacted".

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said: "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."

The incident was during the annual Lapu Lapu festival - named after the national hero of the Philippines.

It's believed there were "a few thousand" people in attendance.

The event was coming to a close when a vehicle suddenly ploughed into the pedestrian-only area.

Social media videos show ambulances and police vehicles at the scene at E. 41st Avenue and Fraser.

The driver of the SUV was taken to custody and told bystanders he was "sorry", the Vancouver Sun reports.

Acting Police Chief Rai said the suspect was "known to the police in certain circumstances".

Vancouver police examine a black car suspected to be involved at a scene after a vehicle drove into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver.
Vancouver police examine a black car suspected to be involved at a scene after a vehicle drove into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver. Picture: Alamy

Yoseb Vardeh, the co-owner of a food truck, was at at the festival all day.

He told Postmedia: "I didn’t get to see the driver, all I heard was an engine rev. It didn’t make any sense to me because there’s still people here like, it sounded like a car speeding. It didn’t make any sense."

"And then I look up and there’s people flying. It just happened so f****** fast.”

He continued: “I got outside my food truck, I looked down the road and there’s just bodies everywhere."

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

Vancouver Police secure the scene where a car drove into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver.
Vancouver Police secure the scene where a car drove into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver. Picture: Alamy
Several emergency response vehicles have been spotted on the scene.
Several emergency response vehicles have been spotted on the scene. Picture: X @marcmaravillas

“I saw so many people, and they just couldn’t believe what was happening. It was their wife, it was their mom, it was their kid,” he said. “All these people were shocked, walking around and they didn’t know what the f-ck to do," Mr Vardeh said.

“I couldn’t help them. There’s nothing to do."

Canada's New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh was at the Lapu Lapu event before the incident.

He said he is "horrified to learn" that "innocent people" were 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 said, via the BBC.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh at the Lapu Lapu Day block party, in Vancouver, British Columbia.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh at the Lapu Lapu Day block party, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Picture: Alamy

Singh is a candidate for Canada's federal election on Monday.

His district is Burnaby Central, just east to where the incident took place.

Vancouver police secure the scene after a car drove into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday April 26, 2025. (Rich Lam/The Canadian Press via AP)
Vancouver police secure the scene after a car drove into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver, British Columbia, Saturday April 26, 2025. (Rich Lam/The Canadian Press via AP). Picture: Alamy