Vancouver festival suspect was ‘known’ to police; crowd detained him after SUV attack killed nine

The driver who allegedly ploughed his SUV into a Vancouver Filipino festival, killing at least nine, was held by bystanders and was “known” to police. Follow updates.

The driver who allegedly ploughed his SUV into a Vancouver Filipino festival on Saturday, killing at least nine, was held by bystanders before police arrived – and was “known” to law enforcement, officials said.

The 30-year-old man, who has not yet been publicly identified, apologised to festivalgoers as he was detained by the crowd until police arrived to arrest him, according to the New York Post.

Vancouver police investigate a crime scene after a man drove into pedestrians at the annual Lapu Lapu festival celebrating Filipino culture. Picture: AFP

He is accused of barrelling his black SUV through the crowd at the Lapu Lapu Day block party as the celebration was wrapping up around 8pm local time.

“The suspect was known to police in certain circumstances,” Vancouver Acting Police Chief Steve Rai told reporters on Saturday night without elaborating.

The driver may also have been suffering from mental health issues, the Post said, citing sources.

The scene of a fatal incident at the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party in Vancouver. Picture: X

The scene of a fatal incident at the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party in Vancouver. Picture: X

The man is believed to have made it onto the busy roadway after a few volunteers removed a barrier during clean-up of the festival.

“We are still working on how this was cordoned off and how this occurred with the vehicle,” Rai said.

A victim covered with a cloth lies near a food truck after a car drove into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver, British Columbia. Picture: Rich Lam/The Canadian Press via AP

Festivalgoer Kris Pangilinan said he saw two volunteers moving a street barrier to allow cars onto the street as workers were breaking down the festival amenities, including food trucks, vendor stands and the stage.

Several vehicles were carefully guided through the narrow street, but the black SUV reportedly accelerated into the crowd.

A woman with a tattoo that says "love, love, love" puts her arm around NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh at a Lapu Lapu Day block party, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Picture: Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press via AP

“We realised what was happening and everybody started yelling,” Pangilinan told the CBC. “[He] just slammed the pedal down and rammed into hundreds of people. It was like seeing a bowling ball hit — all the bowling pins and all the pins flying up in the air.”

Pangilinan, a former journalist based in Toronto, described the aftermath as a war zone, adding seeing “countless” bodies on the ground.

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: Rich Lam/The Canadian Press via AP

The driver killed at least nine people and injured more when he ploughed a vehicle through a crowd at a Filipino cultural celebration in Vancouver, police in the Canadian city said Sunday.

Authorities said the incident happened shortly after 8pm local time in Vancouver’s Sunset on Fraser neighbourhood as members of the Filipino community gathered to celebrate Lapu Lapu Day.

The festival, which commemorates a Filipino anti-colonial leader from the 16th century, falls this year on the weekend before Canada’s election.

“We can confirm nine people have died after a man drove through a crowd at last night’s Lapu Lapu Festival,” Vancouver police said on X.

Police said earlier they had arrested a 30-year-old local man who was a “lone suspect” known to them.

“At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism,” they added.

The local Filipino community had gathered for the street festival when a black SUV allegedly driven by the man drove into the pedestrian-only area, striking numerous people. Children are believed to be among the victims.

Multiple people have been killed and more injured after a car drove into a street festival in Vancouver, Canada. Picture: X

The scene of a fatal incident at the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party in Vancouver. Picture: X @MaviLakhvinder

The Vancouver Sun reported that Vancouver police had confirmed a “30-year-old Vancouver man who was known to police in certain circumstances had been arrested, after bystanders at the festival held him until police arrived”.

The driver of the SUV was taken into custody and was heard to tell bystanders he was “sorry.”, the news outlet reported.

Festival security guard Jen Idaba-Castaneto told local news site Vancouver Is Awesome that she saw “bodies everywhere.”

“You don’t know who to help, here or there. It’s so shocking,” she said.

British Columbia Premier David Eby said he was “shocked and heartbroken” by the news in a post on X.

Multiple people have been killed and more injured after a car drove into a street festival in Vancouver, Canada. Picture: X

The scene of a fatal incident at the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party in Vancouver. Picture: X

“Our thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver’s Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time,” Vancouver mayor Ken Sim posted on X.

Saturday’s event featured a parade, a film screening, dancing and a concert, with two members of the Black Eyed Peas featured on the line-up published by the organisers.

“Our thoughts are with the victims and their families – and Vancouver’s Filipino community,” Jagmeet Singh, leader of the left-wing New Democratic Party said on X.

The deadly incident comes a year after Canadian Nathaniel Veltman was sentenced to life in prison for running down a Muslim family with his truck on the street in London, Ontario in 2021.

The ruling in Veltman’s case was the first in Canada to make a link between white supremacy and terrorism in a murder case.

The scene of a fatal incident in South Vancouver. Picture: X

Vancouver police secure the scene after a car drove into a crowd at the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver. Picture: Rich Lam/The Canadian Press via AP

Canadians go to the polls Monday after an frenetic election race where candidates have wooed voters on issues including US President Donald Trump’s tariffs and rising living costs.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his condolences, writing on social media: “I am devastated to hear about the horrific events at the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver earlier this evening. We are all mourning with you.”