Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim mentioned town suffered its “darkest day” on Saturday when a person drove an SUV right into a crowd of individuals on the Lapu Lapu Day competition.
Officers confirmed that 11 individuals have died from the incident and so they vary in age from 5 to 65 years outdated.
The victims have been gathered on the grounds of a faculty at East forty first Avenue and Fraser Road, celebrating Filipino tradition and heritage.
“I’m fully heartbroken,” Sim mentioned. “I’m shocked, and I’m offended.”
“I’m devastated by the lives which have been misplaced and the ache that’s been inflicted on our group.”
Sim added that town grieves with the Filipino group and the members of the family of the victims.
Vancouver police confirmed that the driving force, who’s in custody, entered an space of the competition from East forty third Avenue.
Questions are being raised about safety on the occasion and why the suspect was capable of simply entry the positioning.
“Public security has been our key precedence since day one, and I wish to know the way we will keep away from an incident like this from ever taking place once more,” Sim mentioned.
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“Now, I’ve requested, and I’ve acquired a full briefing by the VPD and our staff on the metropolis right here on yesterday’s incident and, in consequence, I’ve directed a full assessment of our occasion security measures, together with obstacles, visitors management and security protocols.”
Sim mentioned he needs everybody to know, nonetheless, that regardless of this very troublesome time, Vancouver continues to be a protected metropolis.
“We’ve got over 3,000 occasions and festivals per 12 months in our metropolis, the overwhelming majority… taking place with out incident by any means,” Sim added.
“So I do encourage you, and I perceive how individuals could really feel, however I encourage you to maintain your plans in place and revel in. Take pleasure in these occasions.”
The suspect, who has not been named, has a major historical past of psychological well being points and is thought to police, Sim confirmed.
Vancouver police interim Chief Const. Steve Rai mentioned the tragedy is one thing town has by no means skilled earlier than.
He mentioned {that a} threat evaluation is performed each time there may be an occasion and that it was undertaken on this case.
“It’s every little thing from social media scanning, all of the social media, is there anybody on the market making threats on this occasion?” Rai mentioned.
“Is there a possible pop-up demonstration? Is there any individual related to this occasion that has a historical past with individuals, organizers — only a complete gamut of things. We additionally have a look at the previous historical past of the occasion.”
He mentioned there have been no incidents final 12 months on the competition and officers thought there wouldn’t be any this 12 months primarily based on the knowledge and menace evaluation out there.
“We don’t wish to cage everyone up at each occasion within the metropolis of Vancouver,” Rai added.
“We are able to try this like another locations on the planet, however it hasn’t been warranted right here. And simply so you recognize, we did police this occasion. Through the day we had one misplaced baby discovered by officers who have been there, and we had any individual (who) misplaced their automotive, they didn’t know the place that they had parked it. We helped them discover it.”
Rai mentioned there was no indication that this was going to be a high-risk occasion.
“It’s not like we’re not within the neighbourhood,” he mentioned.
“We’re simply not marching up and down the road. And we’re not placing concrete obstacles up with massive dump vehicles for the intelligence we had and no threats. And [the] earlier historical past of the occasion, which was a really enjoyable cultural celebration involving younger individuals, majority of it held within the schoolyard, not accessible to automobiles. So … we attempt to not cage individuals in.”
A 24-hour help middle has been established on the Douglas Park Group Centre, positioned at 801 West twenty second Ave.
Vancouver law enforcement officials and sufferer providers professionals have been deployed to assist anybody who has not been capable of contact a cherished one who was on the Lapu Lapu competition. In case you are not capable of attend in individual, name (604) 717-3321 to talk with a sufferer liaison officer.
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