Vancouver: A 30-year-old man was charged with multiple counts of murder on allegations he killed 11 people when he rammed a crowd of people at a Filipino heritage festival in Vancouver, as hundreds attended vigils across the city for the victims and the Canadian Prime Minister visited the site on the eve of a federal election.
Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, was charged with eight counts of second degree murder in a video appearance before a judge on Sunday, hours after he was arrested at the scene, said Damienne Darby, spokeswoman for British Columbia prosecutors. Lo has not yet entered a plea.
Investigators ruled out terrorism as a motive and said more charges are possible. They said Lo had a history of mental health issues.
An attorney for Lo was not listed in online court documents and The Associated Press wasn’t immediately able to reach an attorney representing him.
Those killed were between the ages of 5 and 65, officials said. About two dozen people were injured, some critically, when the black Audi SUV sped down a closed street just after 8 pm Saturday and struck people attending the Lapu Lapu Day festival. Authorities had not released victims’ names by Sunday evening.
Nathaly Nairn and her 15-year-old daughter carried flowers to one of the vigils. They had attended the festival on Saturday, and Nairn recounted seeing the damaged SUV and bodies on the ground.
“Something really dark happened last night,” Nairn said, as she and her daughter wiped away tears.
Emily Daniels also brought a bouquet. “It’s sad. Really sad,” she said. “I can’t believe something like this could happen so close to home.”
Police Interim Chief Steve Rai called it “the darkest day in Vancouver’s history.” There was no indication of a motive, but Rai said the suspect has “a significant history of interactions with police and health care professionals related to mental health.”
Video of the aftermath showed the dead and injured along a narrow street in South Vancouver lined by food trucks. The front of the Audi SUV was smashed in.
Prime Minister Mark Carney cancelled his first campaign event and two major rallies on the final day of the election campaign
before Monday’s vote.