Vancouver festival suspect charged with murder after at least 11 killed in car-ramming attack; hundreds attend vigils: Latest

The 30-year-old has been charged with eight counts of second-degree homicide after an SUV drove right into a Filipino heritage competition.

Right here’s what we learn about him thus far:

Polling cubicles in Vancouver have opened simply days after a tragedy took the lives of 11, together with a five-year-old youngster.

Police charged 30-year-old Kai-Ji Adam Lo with eight counts of second-degree homicide on Sunday afternoon, after a black SUV was pushed via crowds gathered for the Lapu-Lapu competition.

The incident slowed what would have been a frenetic final day of campaigning forward of the federal election, with Prime Minister Mark Carney cancelling some main rallies and attending a memorial service on Sunday morning.

Polling stations opened at 7am Pacific Time.

On Sunday, household, buddies and members of the neighborhood gathered at a makeshift memorial to recollect the victims of the assault.

Eleven folks had been killed, together with a five-year-old, whereas greater than a dozen stay in hospital after a automobile rammed into festivalgoers in Vancouver on Saturday.

Vancouver’s interim police Chief Steve Rai labelled the assault which has left 11 useless and one other 20 injured the “darkest day within the metropolis’s historical past”.

He additionally mentioned it might be a “watershed second” for town’s emergency responders, in a press convention on Sunday.

“It’s onerous to make sense of one thing so mindless, and I do know there are questions on whether or not this tragedy may have been prevented,” Mr Rai mentioned, in line with the Canadian Broadcasting Company.

He mentioned town would work to “evaluate the entire circumstances surrounding the planning of this occasion.”

“The system had labored up up to now — however this might be a watershed second for metropolis operations, police, ambulance, and all stakeholders,” he mentioned.

Witnesses have described the “horrible” scenes after a black SUV drove via a crowd on the Lapu-Lapu competition in Vancouver on Saturday, killing 11 and leaving greater than a dozen in hospital.

An eyewitness says he noticed a black SUV “driving recklessly” via Vancouver minutes earlier than it ploughed into crowds at a Filipino competition, killingn 11 folks and injuring many extra.

Vancouver resident Colton informed native radio station 730 CKNW run by International Information on Sunday that he noticed the motive force driving “too quick” via his neighbourhood.

“He was rushing down our facet avenue after which turning onto our avenue, forty third Avenue. After which, you understand, I assumed he was only a unhealthy driver,” mentioned Colton, whose surname was not revealed by the outlet.

He then noticed the SUV make a u-turn and walked previous the car, however a minute or two later the automobile sped previous, into the highway closed to autos for the competition.

“There have been so many individuals that had been nonetheless strolling on the road and simply having fun with the night,” he mentioned.

Following the assault on the competition on Saturday night, 32 sufferers had been taken to hospital, together with the 11 who died, the British Columbia Ministry of Well being mentioned.

The ministry confirmed with the Canadian Broadcasting Company on Sunday that 17 sufferers remained in hospital, together with some in a severe situation and others in a crucial situation.

A few of the sufferers had been receiving therapy for non-life-threatening accidents, the ministry mentioned.

Philippine president Bongbong Marcos has shared his condolences with the victims of a automobile ramming assault, which occurred throughout a Filipino competition in Vancouver on Saturday.

“On a day meant to honour the braveness of Lapu-Lapu, our kababayans [compatriots] in Vancouver turned victims of an unspeakable tragedy,” he mentioned in a press release.

“As your President, and as a father, I share in your grief and your anguish. The lives misplaced is not going to be forgotten.”

Mr Marcos mentioned the Filipino folks stood collectively “in mourning, prayer, and in unwavering assist”.

“We are going to do the whole lot in our energy to convey consolation, to convey assist, and to honour their reminiscence with motion,” he mentioned.

Throughout a Lapu-Lapu Filipino competition in Vancouver on the weekend, a black SUV ploughed into the gang killing 11 folks and injuring dozens extra. Right here’s what we all know thus far.

• Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, was charged on Sunday afternoon with eight counts of second-degree homicide. Vancouver police mentioned extra prices had been attainable.
• Eleven folks had been killed, and victims vary in age from 5 to 65, police mentioned, with not all victims recognized but.
• Vancouver police say the variety of useless may rise in coming days and weeks, with a number of the greater than 20 injured folks in a crucial situation.
• Investigators dominated out terrorism as a motive, saying Lo had “a big historical past” of interactions with police and psychological well being professionals
• Police chief Steve Rai mentioned it was the “darkest day in Vancouver’s historical past”.
• The assault comes as Canadians head to the polls on Monday.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney mentioned households of the victims had been “residing each household’s nightmare” following the car-ramming assault.