The Vancouver police said on Sunday that the crazy driver who dropped at least 11 people with his black SUV and injured several others at a Lapu Lapu Day Party had a comprehensive mental health history. Interim police chief Steve Rai said that the 30-year-old man was known to the police under some circumstances, pointing into his previous run-in with law enforcement, and there was also a comprehensive history of interaction with mental health professionals, saying it was the deepest day in the history of the city.
Rai said, “There are many things that we still don’t know. But we are looking for an answer.”
The identity of the suspect has not yet been revealed, although an alleged video of the suspect was revealed on social media, which was believed to have been taken after the mob was taken into custody until the police arrived. From the video, social media users stated that suspected Asian may be of origin, but residents of Vancouver. The motive is still not known, although the police confirmed that it worked alone and it was not a terrorist work.
Police said, “I am unable to identify the person because allegations have been made.”
Lapu Lapu Day is named after an indigenous resistance fighter in the Philippines, who fought against the Spanish colonies in the 16th century. Saturday was the second annual street celebration of the day in Vancouver, and the organizers said that it was “a permanent impact on the Filipino values, especially the spirit of Bayanin – to mark the collective community effort.”
The festival was just winding when the SUV went through the crowd but there were many people. The driver was traveling east on the 43rd street before the attack and the vehicle was with someone associated with that family.
No prior indication of danger level
The activities related to the festival were being organized in a high school ground, not accessible from the road. The only road that was “needed to be partially closed” was behind the school for food trucks, the police said, and “no obstacles” for those trucks were no obstacles. Police said there was no indicator that there was a need to respond to the high threat level.
