Tragedy in Vancouver
02/05/25 01:55
Lapu Lapu was an indigenous chief of Mactan, an island in the Philippines. In 1521, he and his supporters defeated Spanish forces led by Ferdinand Magellan at the Battle of Mactan. Their victory delayed the Spanish occupation of the region for more than 40 years. In the contemporary Philippines, he is considered a hero. Monuments in his honor are located around the country. Several governmental organizations, including the national police service, use his image on their seals. An annual festival is held in his memory and honor.
People from the Philippines have migrated to several countries around the world. In 1982 and 1983, I became involved in that migration in a tiny way. I was the chair of the Committee on Ministry of what then was called the North Dakota Conference of the United Church of Christ. Because of historical ties with churches of the Evangelical and Reformed Synod of North America, our conference had member congregations in Manitoba and Alberta in Canada. I traveled to visit those congregations as part of my committee work. One of our churches, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was made up mostly of first and second-generation German immigrants to Canada. As they aged, the congregation got smaller and smaller.
Meanwhile, an influx of Filipino people to Winnipeg created a need for a congregation to serve them. We worked with the Filipino immigrants to form the First Filipino Church of Winnipeg. Initially, they used the building of the German congregation through an arrangement that we worked out. The Filipino congregation called a pastor who spoke their language and immigrated from the Philippines. Our conference, recognized as an official church body in Canada, sponsored the pastor.
We adopted our daughter in the fall of 1983 and took our children to Winnipeg to celebrate the charter of First Filipino Church and its partnership with the German congregation. The festival included food, culture, prayer, and singing.
Now, more than 4 decades later, we live on the border of British Columbia, where Filipinos form one of the largest immigrant groups in the province. Each spring, the Filipino community in Vancouver holds a Lapu Lapu festival with a street fair, food, singing, and dancing. More than 25,000 people were participating in the festival this year. Suddenly, the festival was interrupted by a tragedy. Last Saturday at about 8:15 in the evening, a single vehicle, with one occupant, was driven into the midst of the festival on East 43rd Avenue in South Vancouver. The car went through the street, striking festival goers. At least 11 people were killed and dozens were injured. Some of the wounded have been released from the hospital. However, thirteen are still hospitalized, with five in critical condition. Two others are listed in serious condition, one of them a 22-month-old baby.
Festival goers detained the vehicle's driver until the police arrived, and he was taken into custody. The suspect, Kai-Ji Adam Lo, has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder, and further charges are anticipated. According to the Vancouver police, the evidence gathered so far does not indicate that it was an act of terrorism. Vancouver mayor Ken Sim stated that “mental health appears to be the underlying issue.” The provincial health ministry said that Lo had been under the care of a mental health team before the attack, but that he gave no indication of violence.
The response to the tragedy in Canada is quite different from the responses we have seen to attacks in the United States. The focus has been on care for the victims. Because many of the victims worked in health care, including staffing long-term care facilities, other health care workers are donating a day’s labor so that victims can take time off from work with pay.
Mark Carney rearranged his schedule on the eve of the national election to come to Vancouver and be with the Filipino community. A resource center for victims was set up near the site of the attack and is operating from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Over 150 people came to the center in its first 36 hours of operation. Donations have been poured in from across Canada in support of victims, and more than $2 million has been contributed so far.
Flags have been lowered to half staff, and today has been designated as an official day of remembrance and mourning for the victims of the tragedy. In addition to announcing the day of remembrance and mourning, BC Premier David Eby announced that an independent commission will be created to establish guidelines on best practices for public events and festivals. In addition, he has said he intends to initiate a review of communications between police and health care professionals aimed at preventing future tragedies with increased mental health services. He is urging the legislature to consider making it legal to detain a person involuntarily in inpatient care when their mental health has deteriorated.
The story of one victim's family has touched the hearts of many. Three members of the Le family died. Katie Le, age five, was the youngest person to die in the attack. She was killed along with her father, Richard Le, and her mother, Lin Huang. Her 16-year-old brother, Andy, stayed home from the festival to do homework and is the family’s sole survivor. A GoFundMe account was set up for his support. Yesterday, Andy Le issued a statement that said in part, “I truly appreciate each and every one of you, and I know that many other families are hurting too.” He announced that he is donating $266,000 from his GoFundMe account to the other victims of the attack. He concluded, “I want to continue living with my grandparents who have helped raise me, and truly love me. Thank you all so much for your support.”
Sudden and traumatic loss creates scars that do not heal. Grieving families will never fully recover from this attack. The damage done by the driver of the car is permanent and irreversible. I join with the Canadian Filipino community in shock, grief, and mourning. At the same time, I celebrate the generosity and resilience of the victims and the people of British Columbia. I am proud to be their neighbor and will continue to visit their city often, feeling privileged to witness the healing process.
People from the Philippines have migrated to several countries around the world. In 1982 and 1983, I became involved in that migration in a tiny way. I was the chair of the Committee on Ministry of what then was called the North Dakota Conference of the United Church of Christ. Because of historical ties with churches of the Evangelical and Reformed Synod of North America, our conference had member congregations in Manitoba and Alberta in Canada. I traveled to visit those congregations as part of my committee work. One of our churches, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, was made up mostly of first and second-generation German immigrants to Canada. As they aged, the congregation got smaller and smaller.
Meanwhile, an influx of Filipino people to Winnipeg created a need for a congregation to serve them. We worked with the Filipino immigrants to form the First Filipino Church of Winnipeg. Initially, they used the building of the German congregation through an arrangement that we worked out. The Filipino congregation called a pastor who spoke their language and immigrated from the Philippines. Our conference, recognized as an official church body in Canada, sponsored the pastor.
We adopted our daughter in the fall of 1983 and took our children to Winnipeg to celebrate the charter of First Filipino Church and its partnership with the German congregation. The festival included food, culture, prayer, and singing.
Now, more than 4 decades later, we live on the border of British Columbia, where Filipinos form one of the largest immigrant groups in the province. Each spring, the Filipino community in Vancouver holds a Lapu Lapu festival with a street fair, food, singing, and dancing. More than 25,000 people were participating in the festival this year. Suddenly, the festival was interrupted by a tragedy. Last Saturday at about 8:15 in the evening, a single vehicle, with one occupant, was driven into the midst of the festival on East 43rd Avenue in South Vancouver. The car went through the street, striking festival goers. At least 11 people were killed and dozens were injured. Some of the wounded have been released from the hospital. However, thirteen are still hospitalized, with five in critical condition. Two others are listed in serious condition, one of them a 22-month-old baby.
Festival goers detained the vehicle's driver until the police arrived, and he was taken into custody. The suspect, Kai-Ji Adam Lo, has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder, and further charges are anticipated. According to the Vancouver police, the evidence gathered so far does not indicate that it was an act of terrorism. Vancouver mayor Ken Sim stated that “mental health appears to be the underlying issue.” The provincial health ministry said that Lo had been under the care of a mental health team before the attack, but that he gave no indication of violence.
The response to the tragedy in Canada is quite different from the responses we have seen to attacks in the United States. The focus has been on care for the victims. Because many of the victims worked in health care, including staffing long-term care facilities, other health care workers are donating a day’s labor so that victims can take time off from work with pay.
Mark Carney rearranged his schedule on the eve of the national election to come to Vancouver and be with the Filipino community. A resource center for victims was set up near the site of the attack and is operating from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. Over 150 people came to the center in its first 36 hours of operation. Donations have been poured in from across Canada in support of victims, and more than $2 million has been contributed so far.
Flags have been lowered to half staff, and today has been designated as an official day of remembrance and mourning for the victims of the tragedy. In addition to announcing the day of remembrance and mourning, BC Premier David Eby announced that an independent commission will be created to establish guidelines on best practices for public events and festivals. In addition, he has said he intends to initiate a review of communications between police and health care professionals aimed at preventing future tragedies with increased mental health services. He is urging the legislature to consider making it legal to detain a person involuntarily in inpatient care when their mental health has deteriorated.
The story of one victim's family has touched the hearts of many. Three members of the Le family died. Katie Le, age five, was the youngest person to die in the attack. She was killed along with her father, Richard Le, and her mother, Lin Huang. Her 16-year-old brother, Andy, stayed home from the festival to do homework and is the family’s sole survivor. A GoFundMe account was set up for his support. Yesterday, Andy Le issued a statement that said in part, “I truly appreciate each and every one of you, and I know that many other families are hurting too.” He announced that he is donating $266,000 from his GoFundMe account to the other victims of the attack. He concluded, “I want to continue living with my grandparents who have helped raise me, and truly love me. Thank you all so much for your support.”
Sudden and traumatic loss creates scars that do not heal. Grieving families will never fully recover from this attack. The damage done by the driver of the car is permanent and irreversible. I join with the Canadian Filipino community in shock, grief, and mourning. At the same time, I celebrate the generosity and resilience of the victims and the people of British Columbia. I am proud to be their neighbor and will continue to visit their city often, feeling privileged to witness the healing process.
