Latest news with #JenIdaba-Castaneto
Mint
28-04-2025
- Mint
Who is Kai-Ji Adam Lo? Suspect of Vancouver Lapu Lapu festival tragedy that killed 11
Vancouver's Lapu Lapu festival saw a disturbing event on April 27, when a car ploughed into a crowd, resulting in deaths and injuries of people. According to the police, the incident happened after 8 pm (local time) near E. 41st Avenue and Fraser, where Filipino members had gathered to celebrate. Kai-Ji Adam Lo is a 30-year old resident of Vancouver. He reportedly has a history related to mental health issues. After ramming an SUV through a crowd at a Filipino community festival in the western Canadian city, Canadian prosecutors have charged him for killing 11 people aged between 5 and 65 and injuring dozens. He faces eight counts of second-degree murder, including more charges anticipated. According to NYT, the authorities arrested him at the scene and he "was known' to law enforcement and mental health care professionals prior to the incident, police said. There were no exchange between police and Lo 'immediately leading up to this event. This is the darkest day in our city's history,' Steve Rai, Vancouver Police Chief, said. Lo allegedly hit the race down the street in a black SUV. 'He just slammed the pedal down and rammed into hundreds of people. It was like seeing a bowling ball hit — all the bowling pins and all the pins flying up in the air,' festivalgoer Kris Pangilinan informed CBC. 'We're all OK physically, but honestly, I'm still very shaken up. I'm in shock and have been experiencing panic attacks after witnessing everything that happened,' Jen Idaba-Castaneto, one of those who participated in the festival, told Glacier Media. Eyewitness Dale Selipe told the Vancouver Sun that she witnessed injured children on the street after the vehicle crashed into the crowd. She stated, 'There was a lady with her eyes staring up, one of her legs was already broken. One person was holding her hand, trying to comfort her.' Festival security guard Jen Idaba-Castaneto informed a local news site that she saw bodies everywhere. "You don't know who to help, here or there," she stated. First Published: 28 Apr 2025, 11:54 AM IST
Mint
28-04-2025
- Mint
Vancouver Lapu Lapu festival tragedy: Eyewitness recounts horror, ‘bodies everywhere, lady with eyes staring'
Vancouver saw a disturbing incident where a car rammed over crowd at Lapu Lapu festival around 8 pm (local time), claiming eleven lives. According to police, incident took place as Filipino community members gathered in huge to celebrate it. They have taken the driver into custody. 'A number of people have been killed and multiple others are injured after a driver drove into a crowd at a street festival at E. 41st Avenue and Fraser shortly after 8 p.m. tonight. The driver is in custody. We will provide more information as the investigation unfolds,' the Vancouver police said on X. Local media cited eyewitnesses saying that a black SUV sped through the festival, striking several people as it moved through the crowd. They described the driver as a young Asian man who appeared to have mental health challenges. Videos surface on social media show bodies lying on the street post the car attack, as emergency crews rushed to rescue those alive. 3. Canada PM Mark Carney extended his condolences to those killed. He assured the federal government's full support after speaking to Mayor Sim. He said, 'I spoke with Mayor Sim this afternoon following the attack at last night's Lapu Lapu festival. I offered my condolences and the federal government's full support. We will be there for the people of Vancouver and the Filipino-Canadian community as you heal from this tragedy.' 4. Attendees shared their shocking experience. 'We're all OK physically, but honestly, I'm still very shaken up. I'm in shock and have been experiencing panic attacks after witnessing everything that happened,' Jen Idaba-Castaneto, one of those who took part in the festival, told Glacier Media. 5. The Vancouver police ruled out an act of terrorism. 'At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism,' it posted. 6. According to the police, the suspect, identified as Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, of Vancouver, was charged with eight counts of second-degree murder, with more charges anticipated. 7. Eyewitness Dale Selipe shared with the Vancouver Sun that she observed injured children on the street after the vehicle crashed into the crowd. She said, 'There was a lady with her eyes staring up, one of her legs was already broken. One person was holding her hand trying to comfort her.' Festival security guard Jen Idaba-Castaneto informed a local news site that she saw bodies everywhere. "You don't know who to help, here or there," she stated. 8. The police arrested Lo and he appeared in the court following it. Authorities termed Lo as having had a "significant history" of interactions with authorities, including mental health. 9. Police stated two dozen people were injured, some critically, and admonished that the death toll could increase in coming days and weeks, Bloomber reported. 10. Vancouver Police Department (VPD) has set-up a 24-hour assistance centre at the Douglas Park Community Centre, 801 West 22nd Avenue. It said, 'Anyone who cannot attend in person can call 604-717-3321 to speak with a victim-liaison officer. Witnesses who have not yet come forward are asked to contact the Vancouver Police Department's Homicide Unit at 604-717-2500 and speak with investigators.' The festival honours the Filipino anti-colonial leader from the 16th century, Lapu Lapu, and this year, it coincides with the weekend before Canada's election. The event included a parade, a film screening, dancing, and a concert, with two members of the Black Eyed Peas listed among the performers, according to the organisers. Lapu Lapu Day is observed in the Philippines to commemorate the indigenous chief who led his forces to defeat Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in battle in 1521. First Published: 28 Apr 2025, 09:14 AM IST
Korea Herald
27-04-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Several killed as driver plows into Vancouver festival crowd
VANCOUVER (AFP) — Canadian police arrested a man on Saturday after a car plowed into a street party in the western city of Vancouver killing a number of people. Authorities said the incident happened shortly after 8 p.m. in Vancouver's Sunset on Fraser neighborhood as members of the Filipino community gathered to celebrate Lapu Lapu Day. The festival, which commemorates a Filipino anti-colonial leader from the 16th century, falls this year on the weekend before Canada's election. A 30-year-old local man was arrested at the scene, Vancouver police posted on X. The driver was a "lone suspect" known to police, a police spokesperson told journalists at the scene. Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was "devastated" by the "horrific events." "I offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver," he wrote on X. "We are all mourning with you." According to police, "a number of people have been killed and multiple others are injured" in the tragedy. Footage posted online and verified by Agence France-Presse shows a black SUV with a damaged hood parked on a street littered with debris, meters from first aiders tending to people lying on the ground. Photos published by Canadian broadcaster CBC showed emergency crews at the scene as well as large crowds at the block party earlier Saturday. Festival security guard Jen Idaba-Castaneto told local news site Vancouver Is Awesome that she saw "bodies everywhere." "You don't know who to help, here or there," she said. British Columbia premier David Eby said he was "shocked & heartbroken" by the news, while city mayor Ken Sim said "our thoughts are with all those affected and with Vancouver's Filipino community during this incredibly difficult time." Election season Saturday's event featured a parade, a film screening, dancing and a concert, with two members of the Black Eyed Peas featured on the lineup published by the organizers. Lapu Lapu Day is celebrated in the Philippines in remembrance of Indigenous chief Lapulapu, who led his men to defeat Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in battle in 1521. The deadly incident comes a year after Canadian Nathaniel Veltman was sentenced to life in prison for running down a Muslim family with his truck on the street in Ontario in 2021. The ruling in Veltman's case was the first in Canada to link white supremacy and terrorism in a murder case. Canadians go to the polls Monday after a frenetic election race where candidates have wooed voters on issues including rising living costs and tackling US President Donald Trump's tariffs.
Times
27-04-2025
- Times
Vancouver crash: nine dead after car drives into crowd
Nine people died and 'multiple others' were injured when a car drove into a crowd at a Filipino street party in Vancouver, Canada, police have said. A man in dark SUV drove into a large crowd of people attending the Lapu Lapu Day festival near East 43rd Avenue and Fraser Street at about 8.14pm local time (4.14am BST) on Saturday, the force said. The suspected driver, a 30-year-old Vancouver man, was initially taken into custody by people at the scene before being arrested. Police said he was a 'lone suspect' known to them. The incident was described as a mass casualty incident, and the major crime unit is investigating, but police later said they were 'confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism'. The exact number of injured was unclear, but witnesses described seeing 'bodies everywhere'. 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, a security guard for the festival, told the local news site Vancouver Is Awesome: 'You don't know who to help, here or there. It's so shocking.' Jagmeet Singh, leader of Canada 's New Democratic Party, was among the attendees at the event, but left minutes before the vehicle arrived. 'This is so horrific, I don't even know what to say,' Singh told CTV. 'I was just there, and I just imagine the faces of the kids that I saw smiling and dancing.' One witness told CTV he had seen a black vehicle driving erratically in the area just before the crowd was hit. Lapu Lapu Day celebrations had officially ended at 8pm on an adjacent street. The festival honours Datu Lapu-Lapu, the Filipino chieftain who defeated Spanish forces led by Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan in 1521 and became a national hero. The government of British Columbia officially recognised April 27 as Lapu-Lapu Day in 2023, acknowledging the cultural contributions of the Filipino-Canadian community, one of the largest immigrant groups in the province. The centrepiece of the festivities in Vancouver is a multi-block street party in the Sunset neighbourhood featuring Filipino food and traditions, live performances and cultural displays. This year's event included a parade, a film screening, dancing and a concert featuring two members of the Black Eyed Peas. The organisers, Filipino BC, said: 'We are still finding the words to express the deep heartbreak brought on by this senseless tragedy. We are devastated for the families and victims.' Canada is set to vote in a general election on Monday after a fraught campaign dominated by the question of how to respond to President Trump's confrontational trade policies. Mark Carney, the Canadian prime minister, said: 'I am devastated to hear about the horrific events at the Lapu Lapu festival in Vancouver earlier this evening. I offer my deepest condolences to the loved ones of those killed and injured, to the Filipino Canadian community, and to everyone in Vancouver. We are all mourning with you. We are monitoring the situation closely, and thankful to our first responders for their swift action.' Pierre Poilievre, the Canadian Conservative Party leader, said he was 'shocked by the horrific news', adding: 'My thoughts are with the Filipino community and all the victims targeted by this senseless attack. Thank you to the first responders who are at the scene as we wait to hear more.' David Eby, premier of British Columbia, said he was 'shocked and heartbroken' by the news and would provide 'any support needed'. The mayor of Vancouver, Ken Sim, added: 'I am shocked and deeply saddened by the horrific incident at today's Lapu Lapu Day event. We will work to provide more information as soon as we can.' In a statement on X police said: 'A suspect has been arrested by Vancouver police after several people were killed and multiple others injured at a neighbourhood street party in South Vancouver earlier tonight. 'At approximately 8.14pm on April 26, a man drove into a large crowd of people attending the Lapu Lapu Day festival near East 43rd Avenue and Fraser Street. 'A 30-year-old suspect, a Vancouver man, was arrested at the scene. The investigation is ongoing and is being led the Vancouver police department's major crime section.'
News18
27-04-2025
- News18
Chaos Erupts In Vancouver Lapu Lapu Festival After SUV Crashes Into Crowd, Several Killed
Police said that the driver of the SUV is in custody. However, it is unclear how the person drove into the crowd. A devastating incident unfolded in Vancouver, Canada, on Saturday night when an SUV crashed into a crowd of Filipino festival-goers, killing multiple people and injuring many others. The chaos was captured in horrific videos shared on social media. The incident occurred during Lapu Lapu Day celebrations, a public holiday honouring Filipino heritage, local City News reported. The Vancouver Police Department confirmed that several people have been killed. 'A number of people have been killed and multiple others are injured after a driver drove into a crowd at a street festival at E. 41st Avenue and Fraser shortly after 8 p.m. tonight," the police wrote on X. Police said that the driver of the SUV is in custody. However, it is unclear how the person drove into the crowd. Social media videos show a strong police presence on Fraser Street and East 43rd Avenue, with first responders providing medical care to injured individuals on the scene. Initial reports of several killed and over a dozen injured, after an SUV plowed into a closed-off street filled with people celebrating the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver, Canada. — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) April 27, 2025 A festival attendee, Jen Idaba-Castaneto, described the scene as heartbreaking, saying, 'We're all OK physically, but I'm still shaken up. I'm in shock and have been experiencing panic attacks after witnessing everything that happened." Castaneto added that the experience was terrifying, something 'I never imagined I would see, especially during what was supposed to be a joyful event for our community." Canadian politician David Eby responded to the incident on social media, saying, 'Shocked and heartbroken to hear of the lives lost and those injured at the Lapu Lapu festival. Police are investigating and a suspect is in custody. We are in contact with the City of Vancouver and will provide any support needed. My thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones," he wrote. Canadian politician Patrick Weiler wrote, 'My thoughts are with the victims, their loved ones, the Filipino community and everyone affected by the horrific act of violence at the Lapu Lapu festival today. The VPD is investigating, the driver is in custody, and it's important that we let law enforcement do their job."
