Just terrible
A joyous celebration of Filipino culture ended in death and devastation Saturday, after a speeding SUV plowed into a crowd at Lapu Lapu Day in Vancouver, killing multiple people and injuring many more.
The event was coming to a close, with many lingering after a concert, when a vehicle suddenly drove into a pedestrian-only area along 43rd Avenue near Fraser Street, revving past food trucks and striking a number of festival goers.
Vancouver police confirmed a 30-year-old Vancouver man was arrested at the scene and remains in custody at this time.
Abigail Andiso was with friends nearby when she heard two loud bangs, then screaming and yelling. They ran toward East 43rd Avenue, which was lined with food trucks and stalls and saw a scene of carnage.
“There were bodies on the street. They were run over. Some were already dead on the spot,” said Andiso, who called 911.
Dale Selipe, who was with Andiso, saw a toddler injured and another child with an open scalp wound. Many of the bodies were twisted grotesquely.
“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,” she recounted.
Late Saturday night, Vancouver police confirmed at a news conference that a 30-year-old Vancouver man who was known to police “in certain circumstances” had been arrested, after bystanders at the festival held him until police arrived.
The driver of the SUV was taken into custody and was telling bystanders he was “sorry.” Sources say he appears to have been suffering from mental-health issues.
Police did not say how many people had been killed or were injured in the incident, which unfolded around 8:14 p.m., but confirmed multiple victims were taken to hospitals in the region.
Videos posted to social media show the immediate aftermath, with bodies strewn across the road, being tended to by first responders and bystanders. Victims were being rushed to several local hospitals, where staff have been told to prepare for mass casualties.
Yoseb Vardeh is the co-owner of the food truck Bao Buns, which had been stationed at the festival all day.
In a phone interview Saturday with Postmedia, Vardeh spoke through tears to describe what had been “an incredible day” that ended in shock and terror.
“I didn’t get to see the driver, all I heard was an engine rev. It didn’t make any sense to me because there’s still people here like, it sounded like a car speeding. It didn’t make any f—ing sense,” he said.
“And then I look up and there’s people flying. It just happened so f—ing fast.”
Vardeh said the final performer had just ended and that many food trucks, including his, had stayed late past the event’s closing time to serve the last-minute customers who were still enjoying the evening.
It was then that the truck, according to Vardeh, came from the direction of nearby John Oliver Secondary School, drove past a number of market vendors, and sped up before driving down 43rd Avenue, which had been turned into a pedestrian-only area flanked on both sides by food trucks.
“I got outside my food truck, I looked down the road and there’s just bodies everywhere,” said Vardeh, as his voice broke. “He went through the whole block, he went straight down the middle.”
Vardeh said he’s unsure how the truck was stopped but said he saw a man being arrested and that police worked quickly to cordon off the area. Vardeh said the man being arrested was telling bystanders to stop filming him.
vancouversun.com
A joyous celebration of Filipino culture ended in death and devastation Saturday, after a speeding SUV plowed into a crowd at Lapu Lapu Day in Vancouver, killing multiple people and injuring many more.
The event was coming to a close, with many lingering after a concert, when a vehicle suddenly drove into a pedestrian-only area along 43rd Avenue near Fraser Street, revving past food trucks and striking a number of festival goers.
Vancouver police confirmed a 30-year-old Vancouver man was arrested at the scene and remains in custody at this time.
Abigail Andiso was with friends nearby when she heard two loud bangs, then screaming and yelling. They ran toward East 43rd Avenue, which was lined with food trucks and stalls and saw a scene of carnage.
“There were bodies on the street. They were run over. Some were already dead on the spot,” said Andiso, who called 911.
Dale Selipe, who was with Andiso, saw a toddler injured and another child with an open scalp wound. Many of the bodies were twisted grotesquely.
“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,” she recounted.
Late Saturday night, Vancouver police confirmed at a news conference that a 30-year-old Vancouver man who was known to police “in certain circumstances” had been arrested, after bystanders at the festival held him until police arrived.
The driver of the SUV was taken into custody and was telling bystanders he was “sorry.” Sources say he appears to have been suffering from mental-health issues.
Police did not say how many people had been killed or were injured in the incident, which unfolded around 8:14 p.m., but confirmed multiple victims were taken to hospitals in the region.
Videos posted to social media show the immediate aftermath, with bodies strewn across the road, being tended to by first responders and bystanders. Victims were being rushed to several local hospitals, where staff have been told to prepare for mass casualties.
Yoseb Vardeh is the co-owner of the food truck Bao Buns, which had been stationed at the festival all day.
In a phone interview Saturday with Postmedia, Vardeh spoke through tears to describe what had been “an incredible day” that ended in shock and terror.
“I didn’t get to see the driver, all I heard was an engine rev. It didn’t make any sense to me because there’s still people here like, it sounded like a car speeding. It didn’t make any f—ing sense,” he said.
“And then I look up and there’s people flying. It just happened so f—ing fast.”
Vardeh said the final performer had just ended and that many food trucks, including his, had stayed late past the event’s closing time to serve the last-minute customers who were still enjoying the evening.
It was then that the truck, according to Vardeh, came from the direction of nearby John Oliver Secondary School, drove past a number of market vendors, and sped up before driving down 43rd Avenue, which had been turned into a pedestrian-only area flanked on both sides by food trucks.
“I got outside my food truck, I looked down the road and there’s just bodies everywhere,” said Vardeh, as his voice broke. “He went through the whole block, he went straight down the middle.”
Vardeh said he’s unsure how the truck was stopped but said he saw a man being arrested and that police worked quickly to cordon off the area. Vardeh said the man being arrested was telling bystanders to stop filming him.
'Bodies everywhere': Multiple people killed, injured at Lapu Lapu Day in Vancouver
'There's just bodies everywhere': Witnesses describe the carnage after someone drove into a crowd of festivalgoers in Vancouver. Read more.
vancouversun.com
