Vancouver driver's sick two-word response after killing 9 at festival with 'bodies everywhere'
A man accused of driving a vehicle into a crowd at a festival in the Canadian city of Vancouver, killing at least nine people, had a sick two-word response when he was confronted by bystanders at the scene.
Police said the vehicle entered the street at 8.14pm on Saturday and struck people attending the Lapu Lapu Day festival. The country's Prime Minister Mark Carney, who cancelled his first event on the final day of the election campaign ahead of Monday's vote, confirmed nine people died and 20 were injured in the incident last night.
Interim Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai told a news conference that the man was arrested after initially being apprehended by bystanders. Now, video circulating on social media shows a young man in a black hoodie with his back against a chain-link fence, alongside a security guard and surrounded by bystanders screaming and swearing at him.
"I'm sorry," the man replies, holding his hand to his head. Mr Rai declined to comment on the video, but said the person in custody was a "lone male" who was "known to police in certain circumstances". Video filmed at the scene shows the dead and injured along a narrow street in South Vancouver lined by food trucks. The front of the driver's SUV was smashed in.
Witnesses described seeing "bodies everywhere" in the aftermath of the incident, which was described by the police as a car ramming attack. Yoseb Vardeh, co-owner of a food truck called Bao Buns, told Postmedia: "I got outside my food truck, I looked down the road and there's just bodies everywhere. He went through the whole block, he went straight down the middle."
Jen Idaba-Castaneto, who was working as a security guard at the festival, told the local news site Vancouver Is Awesome: "You don't know who to help, here or there. It's so shocking." PM Carney said an investigation is ongoing "to determine how and why this horrific attack occurred."
He added: "Authorities have confirmed one person is custody and it is believed they acted alone." The Vancouver Police Department said the arrested man is 30 years old. They added that the department's Major Crime Section is overseeing the investigation. "At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism," the police department posted early on Sunday.
Mr Carney said authorities do not believe there is any active threat to Canadians. "Last night families lost a sister, a brother, a mother, father, son or a daughter. Those families are living every family's nightmare," he said, fighting back tears. "And to them and to the many others who were injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver, I would like to offer my deepest condolences."
Vancouver Mayor Kenneth Sim said in a social media post that the city would provide more information when possible. "I am shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific incident at today's Lapu Lapu Day event," he said. "Our thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver's Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time."
The Canadian city had more than 38,600 residents of Filipino heritage in 2021, representing 5.9% of the total population, according to Statistics Canada, the agency that conducts the national census. Lapu Lapu Day celebrates Datu Lapu-Lapu, an Indigenous chieftain who stood up to Spanish explorers who came to the Philippines in the 16th century.
The organisers of the event - which was in its second year - said it "represents the soul of native resistance, a powerful force that helped shape the Filipino identity in the face of colonization." Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. issued a statement expressing sympathy with the victims and their families.
"The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver is working with Canadian authorities to ensure that the incident will be thoroughly investigated, and that the victims and their families are supported and consoled," he said. The country's Department of Foreign Affairs said that "we remember the one-million strong Filipino community in Canada and pray for their continued strength and resilience."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
12 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Watch as Justin Bieber lookalike tricks Vegas club into letting him perform to oblivious fans – & runs up a $10k bar tab
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WATCH as a Justin Bieber lookalike tricks a Vegas nightclub into letting him perform on stage and run up a $10,000 bar tab. Staff and partygoers at the five-star Wynn Las Vegas hotel were convinced that scammer Dylan Desclos, 29, was the real Canadian pop star. 7 The fake Bieber seized the chance to perform to an adoring crowd Credit: X 7 Fans clamoured to record a video of the fake Bieber performing 7 Bieber, actually Dylan Desclos, poses with an oblivious party-goer Credit: X LA-based DJ Gryffin was performing at XS Nightclub, and was told that Bieber, 31, was in town, reports TMZ. He heard that the superstar wanted to perform at his Saturday night show - and readily agreed, inviting him into the DJ booth. Videos posted to social media show the shirtless, tattooed fake singing and dancing on stage in front of a packed crowd. Almost everyone is recording the moment on their phones and appear totally fooled. He belts out Bieber's hit Sorry and prances around, always wearing a pair of dark glasses. The DJ is also completely oblivious, hyping up the prankster from behind the decks. Another clip shows adoring fans clamouring to snap a selfie with Desclos. A fake security team was in tow, and the group wandered around splashing cash at shops and behind the bar. The impersonator got through a couple of tracks before staff clocked onto the ruse and booted him off stage. Gryffin saw the funny side of the saga and documented how it unfolded on Instagram. Justin Bieber sparks concern with series of worrying selfies as he refers to drugs in shock post He posted a series of clips along with his version of events, dubbing the faker "Bustin Jeiber". Gryffin wrote: "How Bustin Jeiber duped me during me own set. How I ended up in this situation. "It started when Bustin Jeiber showed up to the club and I was told he wanted to perform. "Dark venue and loud music didn't help here. "So his 'team' said he wanted to perform Sorry. Little did I know I was about to be sorry... 7 The DJ said the club conditions made it hard to recognise the fake 7 Fake Bieber rocked up with a 'security team' 7 Dylan Desclos has a history of impersonating Bieber "The place went wild, and after 4 minutes and 27 seconds of what sounded like Justin Bieber, I found out the worst news imaginable. "COMPLETE FAKE. NO WAY." At the end of the video, Gryffin said: "I literally thought, 'He's put on a lot of weight since the album dropped.'" A rep for Wynn and XS Nightclub told TMZ: 'After an elaborate and multi-step ruse by him and his advance team, a Justin Bieber impersonator was granted access to the XS stage. 'As soon as the error was recognized, he was removed from the resort and denied future entry.' Desclos eventually paid the tab he and his gang racked up.
South Wales Guardian
a day ago
- South Wales Guardian
What is the coalition of the willing?
Here, the PA news agency looks at who is in the coalition and what they can achieve: – What is the coalition of the willing? At least 31 countries have signed up to help defend a peace deal in Ukraine, once one is struck, in an effort to ward off a future attack by Russia. The UK is among those 'willing', with the Government prepared to put 'boots on the ground and planes in the air', Sir Keir said when he unveiled plans for the coalition at London's Lancaster House in March. But it is not the first of its kind. Former US president Bill Clinton suggested in 1994 that sanctions could be imposed by a 'so-called coalition of the willing', to quell North Korea's nuclear ambitions, and his successor George W Bush announced a similar alliance in the early-2000s to disarm the then-Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. – Who has signed up? Leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Finland and Italy have all indicated their willingness to defend a peace deal in Ukraine. They joined Donald Trump, who has not signed up to the coalition, and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House this month. A total 31 countries are in the coalition, according to the Government's National Security Strategy 2025. Beyond Europe, it has attracted support from the Canadian and Australian prime ministers Mark Carney and Anthony Albanese. – Will British troops go to Ukraine? After Sir Keir's commitment to put 'boots on the ground and planes in the air together with others' to militarily defend a peace deal, No 10 unveiled its support for a Multinational Force Ukraine, in an effort to help regenerate Ukraine's own armed forces. Military chiefs have previously met in Paris to agree a strategy for the force, and to coordinate plans with the EU, Nato, the US and more than 200 planners from 30 international partners. And in Washington, European leaders discussed early-stage proposals for a security guarantee, similar to Nato's article five principle – that an attack one member is an attack on the entire bloc. – What has the coalition achieved? 'The coalition of the willing has been successful in advocating for Ukraine and communicating with Trump and the US administration during its outreach to Russia,' says Edward Arnold from the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) think tank. 'Moreover, it has undertaken lengthy military planning and has established a leadership and command structure. However, much remains uncertain, especially the nature of any agreed ceasefire or whether a broader peace process is on the cards.' But the US's commitment is 'far from certain', he told the PA news agency, and warned that 'European planners cannot progress the planning until the US position is agreed'. – What is Nato's role? Nato's Mark Rutte has attended meetings of the coalition of the willing, and Mr Trump appeared pleased with his efforts at their meeting when he described the secretary general as 'a great, great political leader'. But Mr Arnold warned that an article five-style mutual defence deal could amount to 'de facto' membership of the bloc for Ukraine, something which Russian president Vladimir Putin 'is unlikely to agree to'. He said: ''Nato article five-style' guarantees are being talked about but Nato is a unique alliance which is not able to be replicated for Ukraine. 'Moreover, if any coalition of the willing member signed a mutual defence clause with Ukraine, and then Ukraine was attacked further, that could conceivably draw that Nato member into direct conflict with Russia, thereby potentially triggering article five.' Sir Keir has welcomed 'some sort of article five-style guarantees', which he said 'fits' with some of the coalition's work, and Mr Trump who met Mr Putin in an Alaska summit claimed Moscow will 'accept' multinational efforts to guarantee Ukraine's security.
North Wales Chronicle
a day ago
- North Wales Chronicle
What is the coalition of the willing?
Here, the PA news agency looks at who is in the coalition and what they can achieve: – What is the coalition of the willing? At least 31 countries have signed up to help defend a peace deal in Ukraine, once one is struck, in an effort to ward off a future attack by Russia. The UK is among those 'willing', with the Government prepared to put 'boots on the ground and planes in the air', Sir Keir said when he unveiled plans for the coalition at London's Lancaster House in March. But it is not the first of its kind. Former US president Bill Clinton suggested in 1994 that sanctions could be imposed by a 'so-called coalition of the willing', to quell North Korea's nuclear ambitions, and his successor George W Bush announced a similar alliance in the early-2000s to disarm the then-Iraqi president Saddam Hussein. – Who has signed up? Leaders from the UK, France, Germany, Finland and Italy have all indicated their willingness to defend a peace deal in Ukraine. They joined Donald Trump, who has not signed up to the coalition, and his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky in the White House this month. A total 31 countries are in the coalition, according to the Government's National Security Strategy 2025. Beyond Europe, it has attracted support from the Canadian and Australian prime ministers Mark Carney and Anthony Albanese. – Will British troops go to Ukraine? After Sir Keir's commitment to put 'boots on the ground and planes in the air together with others' to militarily defend a peace deal, No 10 unveiled its support for a Multinational Force Ukraine, in an effort to help regenerate Ukraine's own armed forces. Military chiefs have previously met in Paris to agree a strategy for the force, and to coordinate plans with the EU, Nato, the US and more than 200 planners from 30 international partners. And in Washington, European leaders discussed early-stage proposals for a security guarantee, similar to Nato's article five principle – that an attack one member is an attack on the entire bloc. – What has the coalition achieved? 'The coalition of the willing has been successful in advocating for Ukraine and communicating with Trump and the US administration during its outreach to Russia,' says Edward Arnold from the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi) think tank. 'Moreover, it has undertaken lengthy military planning and has established a leadership and command structure. However, much remains uncertain, especially the nature of any agreed ceasefire or whether a broader peace process is on the cards.' But the US's commitment is 'far from certain', he told the PA news agency, and warned that 'European planners cannot progress the planning until the US position is agreed'. – What is Nato's role? Nato's Mark Rutte has attended meetings of the coalition of the willing, and Mr Trump appeared pleased with his efforts at their meeting when he described the secretary general as 'a great, great political leader'. But Mr Arnold warned that an article five-style mutual defence deal could amount to 'de facto' membership of the bloc for Ukraine, something which Russian president Vladimir Putin 'is unlikely to agree to'. He said: ''Nato article five-style' guarantees are being talked about but Nato is a unique alliance which is not able to be replicated for Ukraine. 'Moreover, if any coalition of the willing member signed a mutual defence clause with Ukraine, and then Ukraine was attacked further, that could conceivably draw that Nato member into direct conflict with Russia, thereby potentially triggering article five.' Sir Keir has welcomed 'some sort of article five-style guarantees', which he said 'fits' with some of the coalition's work, and Mr Trump who met Mr Putin in an Alaska summit claimed Moscow will 'accept' multinational efforts to guarantee Ukraine's security.
