Toronto's Filipino community in shock after 11 killed at Vancouver cultural festival

Charmaine Ramirez and David Candelaria say they were walking down Fraser Street in Vancouver Saturday evening, having just taken down their table at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival, when they got a call.

It was a friend, who was also in town from Toronto for the festival. He was calling from a block away on 43rd Avenue, asking them if they were OK and telling them what he'd just seen.

The driver of a black SUV had just driven into a crowd on the street he was calling from. Though it was unclear in the moment, the incident killed 11 people, ranging in age from five to 65. Dozens of others were injured.

"We were in shock," Ramirez told CBC Toronto Monday, one day after they'd returned from Vancouver. 

"We're heartbroken coming back home after what was supposed to be such a great celebration," she said. "We just couldn't believe that after such a great day, that something like that could happen."

WATCH | 11 dead after SUV plows into Vancouver crowd: 

Video shows carnage after vehicle slams into Vancouver street festival

4 days ago

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Police say a number of people have been killed and multiple others injured after a black SUV slammed into a crowd at the Filipino Lapu-Lapu Day Block Party street festival near East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street.

The pair are among the thousands in Toronto's Filipino community mourning the tragedy at the Vancouver street festival celebrating Filipino culture in the city.

They say they'd just left the festival minutes before, as the thinning crowd enjoyed the last of the music and sunshine.

"We were there throughout the whole day, and it could have been anyone," Candelaria said. "So we just felt lucky that we were safe, but also, extremely sad that it was happening, and it was so many people that were affected."

Filipinos in Toronto react to Vancouver tragedy

In Toronto, home to Canada's largest Filipino community, the distance didn't lessen the impact of the alleged attack.

Lynnel Demaala says she woke up Sunday morning to a message from family in Australia asking what had happened, before attending a sombre church service where the pastor led a prayer for the victims.

"It's really tragic, it's really sad," she said. "I'm still confused and in disbelief about it."

WATCH | Vancouver police say incident not being investigated as hate crime: 

Vancouver suspect's history suggests car-ramming not terrorism, police say

3 days ago

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Vancouver interim police Chief Steve Rai says the suspect in Saturday's deadly car-ramming at a Filipino festival has a history of interactions with police and heatlh-care professionals related to mental health. Police say they do not believe the suspect's motives included terrorism.

Omer Tolentino says he's worried about the safety of the Filipino community around Canada.

"Is that a hate crime? That's the first thing [that] came to my mind," he said.

Police say Kai-Ji Adam Lo, who was arrested for the alleged attack and now faces murder charges, has a history of interactions with law enforcement and mental health workers, and they are not investigating the incident as a hate crime.

Toronto festival organizer says security is top focus now

Still, the organizer of Toronto's Filipino festival, Taste of Manila, told CBC Radio's Metro Morning that the news has put his staff on high alert for this year's event.

Executive director Danilo Baluyot said Monday that security has been a high priority in recent years for the outdoor festival that draws hundreds of thousands of people each August. But this weekend has made it an even higher priority.

"As soon as I heard about what happened [what] immediately crossed my mind is, 'how can we try our best to avoid this kind of thing happening to us?'" he said.

Baluyot said he will soon have meetings with organizers, city officials and police about how to keep this year's festival safe.

"I am confident that we can find a way to protect our festivalgoers," he said.

But Marky Hugh, who owns a production company with a children's dance troupe that regularly participates in Taste of Manila, says he's now worried about this year's event. He says he's considering pulling out this August, or possibly having parents sign waivers if their kids perform.

"I'm a little scared right now," he said Sunday, saying he feels the weight of responsibility for the children he teaches.

Vigil scheduled Tuesday at city hall

Dozens attended a vigil in North York Sunday, where Myka Jaymalin said the city's Filipino community was hurting, but resilient. 

"I'm still shaking over the fact that what happened in Vancouver could have been our relatives, could have been my friends," she said. "It's our whole community who were affected and traumatized by this event."

Community leaders plan to hold another vigil Tuesday evening at Toronto City Hall, starting at 7 p.m.