Victim in Lapu-Lapu Day festival tragedy identified as school counsellor
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A New Westminster school counsellor has been identified as one of the 11 people killed in a vehicle ramming at a Filipino street festival in Vancouver on Saturday.
A Monday statement from the New Westminster School Board said Kira Salim was among those who died at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival.
"The loss of our friend and colleague has left us all shocked and heartbroken," read the statement.
"Kira was a valued member of our community whose wisdom and care for our middle and secondary school students had a powerful impact. Their work, and the great spirit they brought to it, changed lives."
It said Salim was a counsellor at both Fraser River Middle School and New Westminster Secondary.
"We are a small but mighty community. This is one of the qualities of New Westminster that Kira loved the most," it said.
New West Pride also paid tribute to Salim in a Facebook post, noting they were "a wonderful exuberant contributor to our local community."
It described Salim as a volunteer, activist, local educator and mental health worker.
The Ministry of Health said as of Sunday evening, 17 people remained in the hospital, some in critical and serious condition.
Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder and Vancouver police say more charges will likely come when more victims are identified.
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