After a driver went crazy and ran over at full speed with a van to the attendees of a street festival in Vancouver, local authorities confirmed the death of at least 11 people, including several young people.
The suspect, a 30-year-old Vancouver man who has not yet been identified, was known to law enforcement after a significant history of interactions with police, and was also well known to mental health professionals, Vancouver Interim Police Chief Steve Rai told reporters Sunday, The Post reported.
'The darkest day in Vancouver's history'
In addition to the dead, dozens of people were injured in the attack during the celebration of Lapu Lapu Day in the Philippines. Police warned that more victims could die from their injuries.
"The death toll could rise in the coming days or weeks," Rai told CBC. "This is the darkest day in our city's history.""The person we have in custody has a significant history of interactions with police and mental health professionals related to mental health," Rai added.
The suspect drove a black van into hundreds of people aged between five and 65 at the Lapu Lapu Day celebration at around 8 p.m. local time, just as organisers were removing the barriers as the event had officially ended.
A video of the incident shows the dead and injured on a narrow street in south Vancouver, surrounded by food trucks. The front of the driver's van is smashed.
Witnesses compared the scene to a bowling ball plowing through the pins.
Kris Pangilinan, who ran a temporary clothing and lifestyle stand at the festival, saw the vehicle slowly the barrier before the driver stepped on the accelerator in a crowded area after a concert.
He said he will not forget the sound of bodies hitting the vehicle.
"He hit someone on the right and I thought, 'Oh, oh!' And then he stepped on the accelerator, and the sound of the acceleration sounded like a Formula 1 car about to start a race," he explained.
After the suspect's vehicle stopped, partygoers held him until police arrived.
Prime Minister Mark Carney cancelled his first campaign event and two major rallies on the last day of the election campaign ahead of Monday's vote.
- With information from AP