Teacher identified among those killed in vehicle ramming at Vancouver festival
A teacher and school counsellor has been identified as one of the 11 people killed when a driver ploughed a vehicle through a crowd at a Filipino heritage festival in Vancouver over the weekend.
Kira Salim worked at two schools in the New Westminster School District south-east of Vancouver, the district said in a statement.
Ms Salim 'was a valued member of our community whose wisdom and care for our middle and secondary school students had a powerful impact,' the district's superintendent and board chair wrote. 'Their work, and the great spirit they brought to it, changed lives.'
Those killed ranged in age from five to 65, officials said. The youngest was five-year-old girl Katie Le, who died along with her father, Richard Le, and mother, Linh Hoang, according to Richard's brother, Toan Le. They were survived by Katie's 16-year-old brother, who did not attend the festival, he said.
The black Audi sped down a closed, food truck-lined street just after 8pm on Saturday and struck people attending the Lapu Lapu Day festival, which celebrates Datu Lapu-Lapu, an indigenous chieftain who stood up to Spanish explorers who came to the Philippines in the 16th century.
Thirty-two people were hurt and 17 were still in hospital late on Sunday, including some in critical and serious condition, the British Columbia Health Ministry said.
A 30-year-old man was charged with multiple counts of murder in the deaths, and mourners including the Canadian prime minister remembered the dead at vigils across the city.
Kai-Ji Adam Lo was charged with eight counts of second-degree murder in a video appearance before a judge on Sunday, said Damienne Darby, spokeswoman for British Columbia prosecutors. Lo has not yet entered a plea.
Investigators ruled out terrorism as a motive and said more charges were possible. They said Lo had a history of mental health issues.
The Associated Press could not immediately reach a lawyer representing him.
Nathaly Nairn and her 15-year-old daughter carried flowers to one of the vigils. They attended the festival on Saturday, and Ms Nairn recounted seeing the damaged vehicle and bodies on the ground.
'Something really dark happened last night,' Ms Nairn said as she and her daughter wiped away tears.
While attending a vigil, Vancouver mayor Kenneth Sim said the Filipino community and the city were 'heartbroken, were sad, were scared and there's a bit of anger there, too'.
Interim Police Chief Steve Rai called it 'the darkest day in Vancouver's history'. There was no indication of a motive, but Mr Rai said the suspect has 'a significant history of interactions with police and health care professionals related to mental health'.
Video of the aftermath showed the dead and injured along a narrow street in South Vancouver. The front of the vehicle was smashed in.
Kris Pangilinan, who brought his pop-up clothing and lifestyle booth to the festival, saw the vehicle roll slowly past a barricade before the driver accelerated in an area packed with people after a concert. He said hearing the sounds of people screaming and bodies hitting the vehicle will never leave his mind.
'He slammed on the gas, barrelled through the crowd,' Mr Pangilinan said. 'It looked like a bowling ball hitting bowling pins and all the pins are flying into the air.'
Investigators were collecting evidence at the scene on Monday and had executed a search warrant at a Vancouver property, police spokesperson Sergeant Steve Addison said. Investigators were also going through bystander video from the scene.
Officials will review the situation, and it may change how they approach such events, Mr Addison said.
'This was intended to be a safe, fun, family-friendly community block party for people to celebrate their community and culture,' he said. 'The actions of one person stole that away from them.'
Mr Rai said the suspect was arrested after initially being apprehended by bystanders.
Video circulating on social media showed a young man in a black hoodie with his back against a fence, alongside a security guard and surrounded by bystanders screaming and swearing at him.
'I'm sorry,' the man said, holding his hand to his head. Mr Rai declined to comment on the video.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney visited on Sunday, a day before a national election. He cancelled his first campaign event and two major rallies on the final day of the campaign before the country votes on Monday.
'Last night families lost a sister, a brother, a mother, father, son or a daughter. Those families are living every family's nightmare,' Mr Carney said. He joined British Columbia premier David Eby and community leaders on Sunday evening in Vancouver.
Mr Carney posted a photo of himself on X lighting a candle at a makeshift memorial near the scene of the attack.
The assault was reminiscent of an attack in 2018, when a man used a van to kill 10 pedestrians in Toronto.
Vancouver had more than 38,600 residents of Filipino heritage in 2021, representing 5.9% of the city's total population, according to Statistics Canada, the agency that conducts the national census.
The organisers of the Vancouver event, which was in its second year, said Lapu-Lapu 'represents the soul of native resistance, a powerful force that helped shape the Filipino identity in the face of colonisation'.
Mr Eby said the province will not let the tragedy define the celebration. He urged people to channel their rage into helping those affected.
'I don't think there is a British Columbian that hasn't been touched in some way by the Filipino community,' he said.
'You can't go to a place that delivers and not meet a member of that community in the long-term care home or hospitals, childcare or schools. This is a community that gives and gives and yesterday was a celebration of their culture.'
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