At least nine killed as driver plows into Vancouver festival crowd

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A driver killed at least nine people when he plowed a vehicle through a crowd at a Filipino cultural celebration in Vancouver, police in the Canadian city said on Apr 27.

Authorities said the incident happened shortly after 8pm on Saturday (8am Sunday, Singapore time) in Vancouver's Sunset on Fraser neighbourhood as members of the Filipino community gathered to celebrate Lapu Lapu Day.

The festival, which commemorates a Filipino anti-colonial leader from the 16th century, falls this year on the weekend before Canada's election.

"We can confirm nine people have died after a man drove through a crowd at last night's Lapu Lapu Festival," Vancouver police said on X.

Police said earlier they had arrested a 30-year-old local man who was a "lone suspect" known to them.

"At this time, we are confident that this incident was not an act of terrorism," Vancouver police said on X early on Sunday morning.