Vancouver’s Sunset on Fraser neighborhood turned from celebration to chaos on April 26 when a black Audi SUV barreled through the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party, leaving multiple people dead and others injured. The annual Filipino festival, alive with food trucks, music, and community pride, was wrapping up when the vehicle tore down East 43rd Avenue near Fraser Street just after 8 p.m. A 30-year-old Vancouver man is now in custody, arrested at the scene by quick-acting bystanders who held him until police arrived.
Witnesses described a nightmare unfolding. Food truck operators and festival-goers, still buzzing from performances by artists like Filipino-American rapper Apl.de.ap, heard an engine roar. Then came the screams. The SUV plowed through the crowd, striking people with such force that bodies were thrown into the air. One vendor recalled seeing a toddler with injuries and a woman with a broken leg, her eyes fixed in shock as someone tried to comfort her. Another witness, a teenager working nearby, said the vehicle charged at full speed, leaving “pure mayhem” in its wake—bangs, cries, and people frozen in disbelief.
Police confirmed the suspect, known to them but not yet named, was detained after attempting to flee on foot. The Vancouver Police Department’s Major Crime Section is leading the investigation, calling it a mass casualty event. They’ve urged anyone with information to come forward but haven’t released the exact number of fatalities, citing the need to notify families first. Local hospitals, including Vancouver General, braced for an influx of patients, with staff declaring a “code orange” for the surge of trauma cases.
The Lapu Lapu Day festival, marking its second year as an official British Columbia celebration, honors a 16th-century Filipino resistance leader who fought Spanish colonization. It’s a day of cultural pride, with vendors slinging bao buns and families dancing to live music. This year’s event, held between John Oliver Secondary and East 49th Avenue, drew thousands. The tragedy has left the Filipino Canadian community reeling, with leaders like Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim expressing shock and grief. Prime Minister Mark Carney, campaigning ahead of a federal election, called the incident “horrific” and thanked first responders for their swift action.
Police cordoned off the area, now eerily quiet save for flashing lights and parked ambulances. Photos from the scene show a crumpled SUV, its front end mangled, stopped between rows of food trucks. Victims were rushed to hospitals, some receiving CPR on the spot. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities tight-lipped about whether the act was deliberate or accidental.
Multiple fatalities and injuries were reported. The suspect remains in custody. Police are asking for witnesses to call 604-717-2500.