A scene of unimaginable horror unfolded at Vancouver's Lapu-Lapu festival on Saturday night as a vehicle plowed through a crowd of attendees, leaving 11 dead and dozens more injured.
The incident occurred shortly after 8 p.m. on April 26, along the stretch of E. 41st Ave. and John Oliver Secondary School at the back parking lots west of Fraser Street.
Bonn Herrera, a Langford resident, was preparing to leave the festival when he witnessed the horrifying event.
“I didn't think much of it, but recalling now, I did note that it was going faster than a car should in a residential area,” Herrera recounted. “Then, I heard a very loud, violent slam and when I turned, I saw the car had plowed through a lot of people.”
According to police reports, a 30-year-old local man allegedly sped through the residential block in a black SUV, striking individuals of all ages along the way.
The festival, celebrating Filipino culture and honouring Datu Lapu-Lapu, the Philippines’ first national hero and Indigenous Visayas chieftain, was wrapping up the day, with families and community members still walking the street, when the tragedy struck.
Herrera, a 20-year-old UBC business student, described the immediate aftermath as chaotic, shocking and heartbreaking.
"At first glance, I could see numerous bodies, motionless," he said. "I just did not want to abandon the people who I saw who were hurt and who were conscious."
He recalled finding a man named Blaine with a severely broken leg. “I saw him alone, laying on the ground – his shin was broken and hanging from his left leg," Herrera said. Blaine pleaded with Herrera to find his girlfriend and check on her. Herrera located the woman, motionless on the ground and stayed with Blaine until paramedics arrived.
"I did not want him to be alone," he explained.
The emotional toll of the event is still heavy on Herrera, who acknowledged how close he and his sister were to becoming victims themselves. They had left the festival just minutes before the incident occurred.
The tragedy has sent shockwaves through the Filipino community in B.C.
Melvin 'Cobb' Carbonel, a Filipino resident of Victoria and a community event organizer, expressed his devastation.
“I am so sad, can't even sleep from the time it happened,” he said. “As an event organizer, this is the worst that could happen.”
Carbonel, who organizes prominent Filipino festivals in Victoria, including the upcoming ‘Mabuhay’ celebrations in June, highlighted the importance of community safety and preparedness.
“As someone deeply involved in community event organization, I must express how truly heartbreaking and sickening it is to consider that this may have been an act of Filipino hate,” he stated. “This incident serves as a stark reminder of the realities we face and emphasizes the need for preparedness in our communities. I sincerely hope that local law enforcement will continue to stand with us as we work together, especially as we approach our upcoming events.”
A candlelight vigil in Vancouver is being planned for Monday, April 28, pending permit approval, as a way for the community to mourn and remember the victims.
Vancouver’s interim police chief, Steve Rai, confirmed that the death toll currently stands at 11, with dozens more suffering injuries.
Police, firefighters and paramedics responded swiftly to the scene, detaining the alleged driver shortly after the crash.
At a midnight press conference, authorities revealed that the suspect was “known” to police but refrained from providing further details.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear and the Vancouver Police's Major Crime Section is leading the ongoing investigation.
The city of Vancouver is now grappling with the aftermath of this horrific event, offering support to the victims and their families while searching for answers in the wake of this senseless tragedy.
Filipino groups in B.C. have rallied together to offer support at vanfilemergency.mycanva.site.
Victim services are accessible 24/7 at 1-800-563-0808 or email 211-victimlinkbc@uwbc.ca. The 310 Mental Health Line is also available at 310-6789 and the Crisis Line can be reached at 1-800-784-2433.
The Canadian flag currently flies at half-mast at the B.C. Legislature in Victoria in support of the Filipino community in B.C., the third largest group in the province, according to census data.
