Image credit: CFJC Today/Anthony Corea

By Marty Hastings

Tragedy in Vancouver

Tight-knit Kamloops Filipino community offers help, prayers to victims of Lapu Lapu festival tragedy

Apr 28, 2025 | 4:33 PM

KAMLOOPS — Filipino Canadian Association of Kamloops member Eric Perrin said a family acquaintance was among those killed when an SUV plowed through Lapu Lapu festivalgoers on Saturday (April 26) in Vancouver.

“My sisters, who live in the Philippines, sent me a message telling me one of our local church friends in the Philippines was in Vancouver visiting family [and] is one of the people who got hit and killed on the spot,” Perrin said.

News of the carnage spread quickly, with Perrin fielding texts from concerned relatives overseas and sending messages to friends from Vancouver who attended the festival.

“When we first heard the news on Facebook, we were so devastated and sad,” Perrin said. “We asked the question – why did this happen to the Filipino community, especially in a happy event?”

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Perrin stood inside a Filipino community hub – D’Cruz Filipino Mart on the North Shore – and pledged support and prayers for those who lost loved ones.

“We’re tight,” he said. “In events like this, we kind of bond together. We’re a resilient community, so we’re going to get through it, but yeah, it will take a while for us to heal. It’s going to be hard.”

Vancouver police have confirmed 11 were killed — with victims ranging in age from five to 65 — and dozens more were injured. Thirty-year-old Kai-ji Adam Lo was arrested at the scene.

Police have confirmed a history of mental health-related interactions with Lo, who has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder.

“I feel sad for him having mental health issues,” Perrin said. “Our hope and prayer for him is he gets help so he can recover. Not just for him, but also for other people that are experiencing mental health (issues), so this type of incident won’t happen again.”