Steve Rai, Vancouver’s acting police chief, told reporters that 11 people have been confirmed dead in the car-ramming assault, and that the number is likely to increase over the next few days.
Dozens more people are hurt, some of them seriously, Rai continued. Nine hospitals in metro Vancouver have received the victims’ ambulance transports. According to Rai, “young people” are among the victims, who are both male and female.
Even though the Lapu Lapu Day festival, which drew hundreds of people, was supposed to stop at 8 p.m. PT, hundreds of people were still out on the street.
Rai stated that the suspect “does have a significant history of interactions with police and healthcare professionals related to mental health,” but she did not publicly identify him because no charges have been brought against him.
“Terrorism should be motivated by a political or religious ideology. He said that the suspect is a “Vancouver resident” and stated, “There are no indications that this individual had that.”
He added that after consulting with the city and festival organizers, police had decided that the event did not require a significant police presence.
Police will now “review all of the circumstances surrounding the planning of this event” in collaboration with local officials.
Source: The Guardian
