A person has been charged with a number of counts of homicide after 11 folks, together with a five-year-old youngster, had been killed in a car assault in Vancouver.
Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, has been charged with eight counts of second-degree homicide, the British Columbia Prosecution Service mentioned. It added that extra expenses had been doable.
Lo, a resident of Vancouver, appeared in court docket on Sunday and stays in custody.
Investigators have dominated out terrorism as a motive and mentioned Lo has a historical past of psychological well being points.
The suspect was arrested after a black SUV struck a large group of people on the Lapu Lapu Day Block Social gathering – named after a nationwide hero of the Philippines – close to forty third Avenue and Fraser Avenue at round 8.14pm native time on Saturday.
Eleven folks, together with a five-year-old, had been killed in Saturday’s assault. Pic: Reuters
It was the second yr the Lapu Lapu competition has been held, with J Rey Soul of the Black Eyed Peas listed among the many performers.
Police mentioned there have been as much as “just a few thousand” folks in attendance, though the group dimension was fluid.
Footage posted on social media confirmed victims and particles strewn throughout a protracted stretch of street, with a number of folks mendacity motionless on the bottom.
The SUV with a crumpled entrance part could possibly be seen in images from the scene.
From Sunday: Police replace on automobile assault
In a information convention on Sunday, Vancouver Police Deputy Chief Constable Steve Rai mentioned dozens of individuals had been injured, some significantly, and that the variety of useless might rise.
He mentioned the victims had been aged 5 to 65 years outdated, and described the assault as “the darkest day in our metropolis’s historical past”.
Afterward Sunday, Vancouver mayor Ken Sim joined mourners at a vigil in Kensington Park, close to the scene of the assault.
Vigils have been held within the metropolis to honour the victims. Pic: AP
He mentioned: “You possibly can really feel it right here, the neighborhood is devastated.”
“We’re heartbroken, we’re unhappy, we’re scared and there is a little bit of anger there too,” he added.
“Lots of people are simply questioning how this might occur within the metropolis of Vancouver.”
Pic: AP
The incident got here forward of Canada’s election, with voters heading for the polls to decide on a brand new prime minister in a while Monday.
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Present prime minister Mark Carney described the incident as a “automobile ramming assault” throughout a information convention.
He added: “Final evening, households misplaced a sister, a brother, a mom, a father, a son, or a daughter. These households reside each household’s nightmare.”
