Suspect Charged in Vancouver Festival Car Ramming That Killed 11
A 30-year-old Vancouver man, Kai-Ji Adam Lo, has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder following a devastating car ramming at the Lapu Lapu festival on April 26, which killed 11 people and injured dozens.
The attack, previously reported as a tragic crash at the Filipino cultural celebration, has left the city’s Filipino community reeling as new details emerge.
Horror on a Festive Night
The incident unfolded at 8:14 p.m. at East 43rd Avenue and Fraser Street, where Lo allegedly drove an SUV into a crowd of festivalgoers, aged five to 65.
Eyewitness Abigail Andiso described the chaos: “There’s a car that went just through the whole street and just hitting everyone. I saw one dead, one man on the ground… there are more casualties, and everyone is panicking, everyone is screaming.”
Bystanders detained Lo before police arrested him.
Acting Police Chief Steve Rai called it the “darkest day” in Vancouver’s history, noting Lo’s history of mental health issues but ruling out terrorism.
More charges are expected as victim identification continues.
A Community’s Anguish
The Lapu Lapu festival, celebrating Filipino hero Lapu-Lapu and Vancouver’s 140,000-strong Filipino population, drew tens of thousands.
On Sunday, mourners laid flowers and held a vigil.
Donna, a 50-year resident, wept, saying, “People were here to celebrate and have fun.”
RJ Aquino, head of Filipino BC, shared the community’s pain: “Last night was extremely difficult and the community will feel this for a long time. I don’t think my phone has buzzed that much in my entire life. There was a lot of panic and, you know, relief, when somebody answers.”
At a vigil, he added, “A lot of us are still numb. A lot of us are still angry, confused, sad, devastated — and some of us don’t know how to feel.”
Resilience Amid Rage
Filipino immigrants Roger Peralta and Bjorn Villaruel witnessed the tragedy.
“It was a loud bang,” Peralta recalled.
Villaruel chased the vehicle: “It was horrendous. A lot of people are just lying on the street and crying and begging for help.”
Both expressed anger over the lack of barriers, feeling let down by safety measures.
Yet, they highlighted “Bayanihan,” a Filipino spirit of unity.
“When you meet another Filipino, even if you don’t know them, you feel like they’re family,” Peralta said.
Premier David Eby vowed support, stating, “This event does not define us and the Filipino community or that celebration.”
Political and Community Response
The attack, occurring days before Canada’s April 28 election, led Prime Minister Mark Carney to cancel campaign events and visit the site, lighting a candle.
Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre and BC NDP leader David Eby offered condolences, while NDP leader Jagmeet Singh, present at the festival, mourned the “joy torn apart so violently.”
Rai warned the death toll may rise, but the Filipino community remains determined to heal, leaning on its cultural strength.