Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, was charged with eight counts of second-degree murder for killing at least 11 people and injuring dozens after he rammed an SUV through a crowd at the Filipino festival in the western Canadian city of Vancouver.

Speaking yesterday morning, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said more than 20 people were injured in what police described as a car ramming attack. He said an investigation had begun into how and why the attack took place.

“We are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism,” Vancouver police said in an X post on Saturday.

What is Lapu-Lapu Day?

The festival, celebrated especially in the central Philippines, honours Datu Lapu-Lapu, the Filipino chieftain who famously defeated Spanish forces led by Ferdinand Magellan in the Battle of Mactan in 1521 and became a national hero.

The centerpiece of the festivities in Vancouver is a multi-block street party in the Sunset neighborhood featuring Filipino food and traditions, live performances, and cultural displays. The party on Saturday was just starting to break up but many people were still in the streets when a dark SUV rammed into the crowd.

“We pray that our community remains strong and resilient, imbued with the spirit of bayanihan (community spirit) during this difficult time,” the Philippine consulate in Vancouver said in a statement.

The government of British Columbia officially recognized April 27 as Lapu-Lapu Day in 2023, acknowledging the cultural contributions of the Filipino-Canadian community, one of the largest immigrant groups in the province.

Lapu-Lapu’s victory is celebrated in the Philippines as a symbol of the nation’s resistance to colonization and the bravery of its early leaders. The city of Lapu-Lapu on Mactan Island in the central Philippines is named in honor of the chieftain and serves as a living tribute to his legacy.