The suspect in a Canadian car-ramming attack that left 11 people dead at a Filipino street party acted deliberately and had a history of mental health problems, police have said, warning the toll could rise.
No motive has been confirmed for the attack in the western city of Vancouver yesterday evening, though terrorism was ruled out by police.
The ramming shocked the country a day before a general election dominated by US President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian products and his threat to annex his northern neighbour, long a key ally and trading partner.
Watch: 'Every families' nightmare', says Canadian PM Mark Carney
Police chief Steve Rai raised the death toll from nine and said the 30-year-old suspect driving a black Audi SUV had a "significant history" of interaction with police and mental health care professionals.
The Filipino community had gathered in Vancouver's Sunset on Fraser neighbourhood when festivalgoers were hit by the SUV.
The celebration called the Lapu Lapu Festival commemorates a Filipino anti-colonial leader from the 16th century.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a brief address to the nation, teared up as he addressed the tragedy.
"Last night families lost a sister, a brother, a mother, a father, a son, or a daughter," he said. "Those families are living every family's nightmare."
A number of people have been killed and multiple others are injured after a driver drove into a crowd at a street festival at E. 41st Avenue and Fraser shortly after 8 p.m. tonight. The driver is in custody. We will provide more information as the investigation unfolds. pic.twitter.com/Iqh5AK5Au3
— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) April 27, 2025
Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada's New Democratic Party, was among the attendees at the event, but left minutes before the vehicle arrived, CTV News said.
"This is so horrific, I don't even know what to say," CTV quoted Mr Singh as saying. "I was just there, and I just imagine the faces of the kids that I saw smiling and dancing."
An AFP reporter saw police officers at the scene Saturday evening, with parts of the festival venue cordoned off.
Footage posted online and verified by AFP shows the vehicle with a damaged hood parked on a street littered with debris, meters from first aid crews tending to people lying on the ground.
Eyewitness Dale Selipe told the Vancouver Sun that she saw injured children on the street after the vehicle rammed into the crowd.
"There was a lady with her eyes staring up, one of her legs was already broken. One person was holding her hand trying to comfort her," Ms Selipe told the newspaper.
I am devastated to hear about the horrific events at the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver earlier this evening.
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) April 27, 2025
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…
'Bodies everywhere'
Festival security guard Jen Idaba-Castaneto told a local news site that she saw bodies everywhere.
"You don't know who to help, here or there," she said.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said in a tweet "I am shocked by the horrific news emerging from Vancouver's Lapu Lapu Day Festival tonight".
Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos said in a statement he was "completely shattered to hear about the terrible incident".
In the capital Ottawa, Julie Dunbar, out for a morning run, recalled an attack in 2018 in Toronto in which a man in a van killed 11 people.
"So it has occurred before, but I fear for the society that we live in, that these things can happen," said Ms Dunbar, 72.
The event featured a parade, a film screening, dancing and a concert, with two members of the Black Eyed Peas featured on the lineup published by the organizers.
Lapu Lapu Day is celebrated in the Philippines in remembrance of indigenous chief Lapulapu, who led his men to defeat Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in battle in 1521.
"This is the darkest day in our city's history," Vancouver police said in a statement.
Britain's King Charles, Canada's head of state, said he was "profoundly saddened" by the deaths.
Vancouver city councillor Peter Fry told CTV News he had also been at the event earlier in the day.
"This was a great day. A wonderful event. Huge community event. And to have it end in tragedy like this, it won't break us or the community but it's horrible," he said.
Canadians go to the polls tomorrow after an election race where candidates have wooed voters on issues including rising living costs and standing up to Trump.
Officials from Mr Carney's Liberal Party said the prime minister's campaign events would be paused today after the tragedy.
Mr Carney is favoured to win after assuring voters he can stand up to the US and its barrage of sweeping tariffs and threats of annexation.
