Vancouver car-ramming attack death toll rises to 11, suspect had mental health history

VANCOUVER, Canada – The suspect in the Canadian car-ramming attack that killed 11 people at a Filipino street party on Saturday had a history of mental health issues, police said Sunday, warning that the death toll could rise.

While no motive has been confirmed for the incident in the western city of Vancouver, terrorism has been ruled out.

Police Chief Steve Rai raised the death toll from nine and said the 30-year-old suspect, who was driving a black Audi SUV, had a “significant history” of interaction with police and mental health care professionals.

The Filipino community was gathered in Vancouver’s Sunset on Fraser neighborhood celebrating the Lapu Lapu Festival, a commemoration of the 16th-century Filipino anti-colonial leader, when the SUV rammed into festival-goers.

“Last night families lost a sister, a brother, a mother, a father, a son, or a daughter,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said. “Those families are living every family’s nightmare.