Prosecutors in British Columbia Sunday charged Vancouver resident Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, with eight counts of second-degree murder after they say he rammed his SUV into a crowd at a Filipino festival, the Inquirer reported.
More charges are expected. At least 11 people are dead with many more injured.
Devin Cabanilla of Seattle was among the thousands in the crowd.
“This event was massive,” he said on Instagram. Very big. Seven blocks long. The security presence there is very different than how we do things in the United States. When they say on the news there were barricades, barricades were just like long plank of wood. It’s not a concrete barrier or steel chains and just volunteers in orange vests. I don’t remember seeing any police.”
Cabanilla described him and his family including the kids as ” all being shaken up knowing that the people around us may not be alive.”
Police say they have had encounters with the suspect before who they describe as having mental health issues. They believe he acted alone and do not suspect terrorism.
Police arrested him after bystanders initially held him.
The Lapu Lapu Festival honors a national Philippine here- Datu Lapu-Lapu who stood up to Spanish explorers in the 16th century.
Filipino Canadians make up nearly 6% of Vancouver’s population.
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