Vancouver Man Charged with 8 Counts of Murder After Deadly Crash at Lapu-Lapu Festival

A Vancouver man has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder after an SUV plowed into a crowd during a Filipino cultural celebration on Saturday evening, leaving 11 people dead and dozens more injured.

Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, appeared briefly in court Sunday wearing grey sweats. He did not seek bail and remains in custody, with his next court appearance scheduled for May 26. Due to a court-ordered publication ban, additional details of the hearing cannot be reported.

The crash occurred just before 8 p.m. PT near East 43rd Avenue and Fraser Street, outside John Oliver Secondary School, where the Lapu-Lapu Day festival was winding down. Victims ranged in age from five to 65 years old.

In total, 32 people were treated at hospitals across Metro Vancouver. As of Sunday, 17 remained hospitalized, including several in critical and serious condition.

Police say the incident is not being investigated as an act of terrorism and that there is no evidence of religious or political motivation. Interim Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai described it as the “darkest day in the city’s history.”

Mental Health History and Safety Measures

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim confirmed that the suspect had a long history of mental health-related interactions with first responders. He emphasized the broader need to address mental health support across the province.

Rai defended the city's safety preparations for the festival, saying police conducted a risk assessment that deemed heavy barricades and a large officer presence unnecessary. There had been no previous security incidents at the family-friendly festival, he said.

“We don't want to cage everybody up at every event in Vancouver,” Rai said, adding that police will now conduct a full review of the planning surrounding the event.

Despite the assurances, Rai acknowledged that the attack — which occurred near a food truck area behind the main festival site — would likely serve as a watershed moment for how city events are secured in the future.

Community Mourning and Political Reaction

The Lapu-Lapu Day festival celebrates a 16th-century Filipino hero who resisted Spanish colonization. Organizers of the event said they are receiving support from across the world and vowed to show “true resilience” in the face of tragedy.

At a vigil held Sunday night at St. Mary the Virgin South Hill Church, Father Expedito Farinas called the loss “heartbreaking beyond words.”

“We will support each other through this unbearable pain and continue to include them in our prayers,” he said to a congregation largely made up of Filipino-Canadian families.

Across the city’s Sunset neighbourhood, residents placed flowers, candles, and tributes at the crash site.

“This could have been any of us,” said Paul Xiong, who had attended the festival with his family just hours before the tragedy.

Condolences poured in from federal and provincial leaders. B.C. Premier David Eby, who spoke at the vigil, promised the province would work with the city and police to ensure safer celebrations in the future.

“We are here today, standing with the Filipino community,” Eby said. “And we will get the answers we need.”

A 24-hour support centre has been set up at Douglas Park Community Centre for those affected by the tragedy.

According to Statistics Canada, over 174,000 people of Filipino descent live in B.C., making up about 3.5 per cent of the province’s population. They are the third-largest cultural group in the province after South Asian and Chinese communities.