Tragedy at Vancouver Festival: 11 Dead, Many Injured

Post by : Layla Badr

Photo: Reuters

Paul Palines and his friend were excited to attend the Lapu Lapu Festival in Vancouver on Saturday, April 26. The event, which celebrates Filipino culture, was full of happy people enjoying food, music, and dancing. Paul said the mood was cheerful and everything felt like a perfect evening—until something terrible happened.

As Paul stood near the food trucks at East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street, he suddenly heard loud banging noises. At first, he didn’t know what was going on. Then, he saw people running and screaming.

“I didn’t know exactly what was happening, but I knew it was really bad,” Paul said.

He soon saw an SUV that had crashed and looked badly damaged. The airbags had gone off, and the driver was trying to climb out of the car. Paul noticed the driver looking back at the crowd—and then trying to run away.

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Paul didn’t think twice. “I wanted to stop him. So I just started running after him,” he said.

He managed to grab the man’s arm and got a clear look at him. “I was shocked, but I told him, ‘You can’t just leave,’” Paul said.

Another man came over and helped by throwing the driver to the ground. The driver got up again, but by then, more people had gathered around. Some were angry, and the crowd was upset and shouting.

The driver kept saying he needed to leave, but the crowd was too big. Paul said he just didn’t want the man to escape, knowing how serious the situation was.

“Once I saw people screaming and running, I knew I had to do something,” Paul said. “That’s why I went after him.”

He described the scene as very emotional, with people crying, yelling, and swearing at the driver. “Someone even threw a beer can at him,” Paul said.

Soon, a few people tried to protect the driver from getting hurt by the crowd. When Paul heard that the police were coming, he left to go find his friend and make sure he was safe.

Although Paul played a key role in stopping the suspect, he doesn’t see himself as a hero. “I just did what I could because I knew I was able to help,” he said.

Paul said the scene keeps replaying in his mind. “I can still remember the police cars, the injured people, and the ones who didn’t make it. It was really heartbreaking.”

The driver, identified as 30-year-old Kai-Ji Adam Lo, was arrested at the scene. He has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder. Vancouver’s mayor, Ken Sim, said the man was under mental health care but was on extended leave when the crash happened. Police said more charges are likely, but they don’t know when.

Paul said this experience changed him. He usually doesn’t go to community events, but this one brought him closer to others. Still, he is trying to heal and understand what happened.

“It was a lot,” he said. “But I’m glad I could do something.”

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