Mayor Ken Sim has ordered a full review of the City of Vancouver’s event safety measures after 11 people were run down and killed Saturday night by the driver of a black Audi SUV at the Filipino community’s Lapu Lapu festival.
So far, police haven’t determined a motive for the deadly attack that occurred along a strip of East 43rd Avenue but say the 30-year-old suspect had a significant history of interactions with police and health-care professionals related to his mental health.
On Sunday evening, police announced Vancouver resident Kai-Ji Adam Low had been charged with in connection with the incident. Lo has appeared in court and remains in custody.
"The charge assessment is ongoing and further charges are anticipated,” said Const. Tania Visintin, a media relations officer, in a news release.
The suspect was detained at the scene by citizens, with videos circulating via social media showing an angry group of people shouting at him.
Sim appeared with Deputy Police Chief Steve Rai, who is the department’s acting chief, at a city hall news conference Sunday to announce the review, which will examine the use of barriers, traffic control and safety protocols.
“Our first priority is, and will always be, protecting the residents of Vancouver,” Sim told reporters. “I know many of us are fearful and feel uneasy right now. But I do want to make something very clear, and I know it's hard to feel this way right now, but Vancouver is still a safe city.”
'Safety plan was sound'
No dump trucks — which have been used as barriers at other events in the city — or heavily armed officers with rifles were present at the Lapu Lapu festival.
Rai said those measures are deployed annually at approximately eight events in the city, including Italian Days, the annual fireworks' competition at English Bay, Pride and Remembrance Day ceremonies.
Those measures were in place for the Taylor Swift concerts in December at BC Place.
Rai, who held his own morning news conference at the VPD’s Cambie Street precinct, said that police conducted a security assessment of the festival and determined there were no threats to the event or Filipino community.
“We determined through consultations with the City of Vancouver and festival organizers that dedicated police officers and heavy vehicle barricades would not be deployed at the festival site,” said Rai, noting last year's festival had "zero issues."
“While I'm confident the joint risk assessment and public safety plan was sound, we will be working with our partners at the City of Vancouver to review all of the circumstances surrounding the planning of this event.”
Added Rai: "We can't predict one-offs, and we certainly don't want to create a police state. So the intelligence [gathered during the assessment] led up to a proper deployment [for the festival]."
'Etched in my mind'
The Lapu Lapu festival, which attracted thousands of people, was held mainly on the grounds of John Oliver Secondary School. Food trucks and vendors lined a strip of East 43rd Avenue, near St. George Street, as part of the festival.
That is where Ysa Tumunaeng was standing just after 8 p.m. Saturday when she witnessed the carnage. She returned near the scene Sunday to lay flowers on a street corner, where others were doing the same.
“Those are images that will just be etched in my mind for the rest of my life,” said Tumunaeng, who described what she witnessed as something out of a movie.
“It's almost as if time stopped. Everything kind of went in slow motion. Just seeing the car speed down and seeing all the debris go up, it was quite a sight to see.”
Tumunaeng said she saw festival-goers detain the suspect up against a fence and hold him for police.
A few blocks away from where Tumunaeng placed flowers, Bella Ayque added a bouquet to another growing memorial outside the high school. She didn’t attend the festival but was in tears when she spoke to Glacier Media.
“I have no words to say and to describe this horrible incident,” Ayque said. “We Filipinos are kind and big hearted and hard working. My heart is broken for all the victims who were just here to have fun.”
Rai said dozens of people were injured and the death toll could mount in the coming days. The victims, whose names and hometowns have not been released, ranged in age from five years old to 65.
Nine hospitals
Nine hospitals were required to accommodate the number of victims. More than 100 police officers were working on the case Sunday, with many going door to door in and around the scene to question residents about the tragedy.
“This is the darkest day in our city’s history,” said Rai, noting it was impossible to overstate how many lives have been impacted forever by one man.
“There are many unanswered questions about why this horrific crime happened, the motive of the person who did it, and whether anything could have been done to prevent it. There are many things we still don't know, but we are working hard to get all of the answers.”
Terrorism was ruled out.
"I can now say with confidence that the evidence in this case does not lead us to believe this was an act of terrorism," said Rai, who became the VPD's acting chief last Thursday now that Adam Palmer has left the department to join the RCMP.
He said the vehicle used in the attack was owned by a family member of the suspect.
'Health-care response'
Premier David Eby spoke to reporters Sunday near the scene, where he was joined by Vancouver-Kensington MLA Mable Elmore, who is of Filipino heritage.
Eby said "we have a huge need in the province for intervention and mental health services." He was responding to a reporter's question about the need for more treatment beds for people with mental health issues.
“I think it’s important for investigators, for others to go into this with an open mind, to provide the answers to the public…so that we can ensure that we have the systems in place to prevent this kind of thing from happening,” the premier said.
“In some cases, that may be a change in how the city does security for events, or maybe a change in health-care response. We don't know the story of why or what led up to this man taking the horrific action that he did.”
Mark Carney, Ken Sim
Meanwhile, the mayor continued his repeated calls for the federal government to address the concern of chronic offenders with mental health issues being able to walk the streets.
Sim is a supporter of involuntary care and has pressed the federal government for bail reform to keep people in jail or a facility, who are otherwise a danger to themselves and the public.
Sim had a phone call with Liberal Leader Mark Carney Sunday. Carney had the conversation in his role as interim prime minister.
If opinion polls are correct, Carney could become Canada's prime minister after the polls close Monday in the federal election.
Asked to share details of the conversation, Sim said he and Carney talked about "root cause issues and what we need to do as a city, as a province and as a nation to set us up so these incidents don't happen. So we fleshed that out a little bit."
Added Sim: "He said he was supportive."
Carney later visited the neighbourhood near the scene with Eby, where both laid flowers at a memorial outside the high school at East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street. Carney also dropped to one knee and lit a candle.
The city has set up a 24-hour assistance centre at Douglas Park Community Centre to support people affected by the tragedy. Anyone unable to attend can call 604-717-3321 for assistance.
