MICHEL MARTIN, HOST:
A man in Vancouver has been charged with eight counts of murder after he drove an SUV into a crowd at a Filipino cultural festival on Saturday night. At least 11 people were killed. Police say it was not a terrorist attack, but there are still plenty of questions about how and why it happened. NPR's Becky Sullivan has this report.
BECKY SULLIVAN, BYLINE: It had been a beautiful spring Saturday afternoon in Vancouver for the city's new annual Lapu-Lapu Day festival. It was a Filipino street party tied to a holiday in the Philippines that celebrates a historic Indigenous victory over Spanish troops back in the 1500s. Saturday's block party in Vancouver had dozens of food trucks and vendors, and thousands of people were in attendance. But by sundown, the scene had turned into a nightmare.
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UNIDENTIFIED PERSON: Sir? Sir, can you hear me?
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SULLIVAN: Around 8:15 p.m., a man driving a black SUV sped into a crowd of hundreds milling between two rows of food trucks and vendor stalls. Videos circulating on social media showed the chaotic aftermath, with bodies lying on the pavement and bystanders caring for the wounded. Kris Pangilinan was working one of the booths and described what he saw in an interview with the CBC.
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KRIS PANGILINAN: It was like seeing a bowling ball hit all the bowling pins and all the pins go flying up in the air. It looked like we were in a war zone.
SULLIVAN: In addition to the dead, dozens were injured.
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STEVE RAI: This is the darkest day in our city's history.
SULLIVAN: This is Vancouver's acting police chief, Steve Rai, speaking to reporters Sunday. The victims' ages ranged from 5 to 65 years old, he said.
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RAI: 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.
SULLIVAN: Police identified the driver as 30-year-old Vancouver resident Kai-Ji Adam Lo. He was detained by bystanders at the scene, then taken into police custody. City officials, including Mayor Ken Sim, said Sunday they were still trying to figure out the motive.
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KEN SIM: Evidence points to this not being an act of terrorism. The individual in question has a significant history of mental health issues. He is known to police for a multitude of mental health interactions.
SULLIVAN: Authorities did not elaborate on the man's previous interactions with police except to say they were, quote, "significant."
Becky Sullivan, NPR News. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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