Accused in Lapu Lapu Day tragedy makes first court appearance
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The man charged with eight counts of murder after 11 people were killed and several more injured at an outdoor Filipino community festival last Saturday has been sent for a psychiatric assessment.
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Adam Kai-Ji Lo, 30, appeared by video in a courtroom at Vancouver provincial court on Friday afternoon, on a split screen with his lawyer, Mark Swartz, who also appeared via video from a different location.
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Lo was wearing a red T-shirt and matching red bottoms and sat on a light blue bench in a brightly lit room at the jail where he is being held in.
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Before the hearing started, Lo, who apparently could see the people sitting in courtroom 514 at the court at 222 Main St., was captured on an open mic saying 'hello' and 'who are all the people.'
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And he also said 'what's 222 Main' and walked up closer to the screen or the camera and seemed to be examining it briefly before sitting down again.
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Judge Reg Harris at the start of the hearing to hear an application from Swartz imposed a publication ban on any submissions by Swartz or prosecutor Michaela Donnelly, but specifically allowed reporting of the order for a psychiatric assessment.
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Such publications bans are common in pretrial hearings to protect the trial process, especially if the accused chooses to be tried by jury and judge.
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The psychiatric assessment will take place in a setting by qualified medical professionals while Lo remains in custody, court heard.
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Lo was arrested on April 26 and charged with eight counts of second-degree murder after someone drove a black SUV through a crowd of people 15 minutes after the end of a daylong festival held by Vancouver's Filipino community to celebrate Lapu Lapu Day near 41st Avenue and Fraser Street in east Vancouver.
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The Province
a day ago
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Vancouver police ramp up weekend presence to deter crime, provide 'assurance'
Police spokesman Sgt. Steve Addison acknowledged some people may be feeling anxious about public safety given Thursday night's car-ramming incident at the Pacific Coliseum during a Cirque du Soleil show Crowds fill the street during Italian Day on Commercial Drive in 2019. Photo by NICK PROCAYLO / PNG The Vancouver Police Department said it is boosting the number of officers in the city this weekend, including at the B.C. Lions kickoff game on Saturday and at Italian Day on Commercial Drive on Sunday. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Exclusive articles by top sports columnists Patrick Johnston, Ben Kuzma, J.J. Abrams and others. Plus, Canucks Report, Sports and Headline News newsletters and events. Unlimited online access to The Province and 15 news sites with one account. The Province ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on. Daily puzzles and comics, including the New York Times Crossword. Support local journalism. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Police spokesman Sgt. Steve Addison acknowledged some people may be feeling anxious about public safety given Thursday night's car-ramming incident at the Pacific Coliseum during a Cirque du Soleil show and the vehicle attack at the Lapu Lapu Day festival in east Vancouver on April 26 that killed 11. But he reassured people that police will be out in full force this with an additional 300 officers deployed from Friday to Sunday. 'We will have a high-visibility presence throughout the city at a variety of events, and we're doing this to provide comfort and assurance to people, to deter crime, and … to respond immediately if something happens,' he said. Police will be using new Archer barriers at the Lions' season opener at B.C. Place and at Italian Day on the Drive, which are expected to draw hundreds of thousands of people to the city. Essential reading for hockey fans who eat, sleep, Canucks, repeat. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The Archer barriers replaces heavy vehicles like dump trucks used by VPD as barricades at large-scale events such as the Celebration of Light fireworks or the Taylor Swift concerts last year. The police department ordered 16 of the anti-ram barriers from U.S.-based Meridian Rapid Defense Group soon after the New Year's Day attack in New Orleans, where a 42-year-old man used a pickup truck to ram into a crowd on historic Bourbon Street, killing 15 people. The devices arrived last month. Each barrier weighs about 320 kilograms and they are linked with heavy steel cables specifically designed to stop unauthorized vehicles at roadways, construction sites and public events. The barriers 'can be deployed and moved around as needed,' said Addison. 'When they're set up, they're designed to prevent vehicle incursions into large crowds.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Road closures will be in effect around Robson and Beatty Streets downtown for the Lions' game and Commercial Drive from Venables to Broadway will be closed to vehicles for the Italian Day festival. There will also be a heightened police presence on beaches, which are expected to be busy with people enjoying the hot weather, and in Gastown, Yaletown and the Granville Street entertainment district. Addison said the 'seemingly random and unpredictable' nature of the recent ramming incidents can cause anxiety but police cannot 'cage the city.' 'Please know we are doing everything that we can, working with our partners, to mitigate risks and make this summer and these events as safe as possible,' he said, adding that people can call police if something seems suspicious or out of place, or if they feel unsafe. chchan@ Read More Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks Sports PWHL Vancouver Whitecaps
Vancouver Sun
a day ago
- Vancouver Sun
Vancouver police ramp up weekend presence to deter crime, provide 'assurance'
The Vancouver Police Department said it is boosting the number of officers in the city this weekend, including at the B.C. Lions kickoff game on Saturday and at Italian Day on Commercial Drive on Sunday. Police spokesman Sgt. Steve Addison acknowledged some people may be feeling anxious about public safety given Thursday night's car- ramming incident at the Pacific Coliseum during a Cirque du Soleil show and the vehicle attack at the Lapu Lapu Day festival in east Vancouver on April 26 that killed 11. But he reassured people that police will be out in full force this with an additional 300 officers deployed from Friday to Sunday. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'We will have a high-visibility presence throughout the city at a variety of events, and we're doing this to provide comfort and assurance to people, to deter crime, and … to respond immediately if something happens,' he said. Police will be using new Archer barriers at the Lions' season opener at B.C. Place and at Italian Day on the Drive, which are expected to draw hundreds of thousands of people to the city. The Archer barriers replaces heavy vehicles like dump trucks used by VPD as barricades at large-scale events such as the Celebration of Light fireworks or the Taylor Swift concerts last year. The police department ordered 16 of the anti-ram barriers from U.S.-based Meridian Rapid Defense Group soon after the New Year's Day attack in New Orleans, where a 42-year-old man used a pickup truck to ram into a crowd on historic Bourbon Street, killing 15 people. The devices arrived last month. Each barrier weighs about 320 kilograms and they are linked with heavy steel cables specifically designed to stop unauthorized vehicles at roadways, construction sites and public events. The barriers 'can be deployed and moved around as needed,' said Addison. 'When they're set up, they're designed to prevent vehicle incursions into large crowds.' Road closures will be in effect around Robson and Beatty Streets downtown for the Lions' game and Commercial Drive from Venables to Broadway will be closed to vehicles for the Italian Day festival. There will also be a heightened police presence on beaches, which are expected to be busy with people enjoying the hot weather, and in Gastown, Yaletown and the Granville Street entertainment district. Addison said the 'seemingly random and unpredictable' nature of the recent ramming incidents can cause anxiety but police cannot 'cage the city.' 'Please know we are doing everything that we can, working with our partners, to mitigate risks and make this summer and these events as safe as possible,' he said, adding that people can call police if something seems suspicious or out of place, or if they feel unsafe. chchan@
Globe and Mail
2 days ago
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Man arrested after vehicle driven into Vancouver Cirque du Soleil arena, no one injured
Vancouver police say a man has been arrested after a vehicle was driven into the Pacific Coliseum arena while a Cirque du Soleil show was taking place. They said no one was injured and the crash does not appear to be an act of terrorism, or related to the Lapu Lapu Day attack that took place in April. Police said on social media that the incident happened just after 8 p.m. Thursday. They said the 30-year-old man from Vancouver was apprehended under the Mental Health Act. Photographs shared on social media show a dark-coloured sedan with its front end crumpled at what appears to be the entrance of the arena in East Vancouver. The crash comes 40 days after a ramming attack on the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver that killed 11 people and injured dozens. Sergeant Steve Addison told Global News outside the arena that Thursday's incident did not appear to be related to the Lapu Lapu attack. He said it was 'a miracle' that nobody was killed or seriously hurt, given that so many people were inside and around the arena at the time. 'We do believe that this person was in the midst of some sort of mental-health break or episode when this happened,' Addison said. He said that the investigation was only hours old, 'but what I can tell you is that we don't believe this is a copycat episode.' He acknowledged that the incident was alarming, occurring in the wake of the April attack. 'It's definitely going to bring back those emotions and that level of anxiety that our entire community has been experiencing for over a month now,' he said.
