(UPDATE: April 28 @ noon) - Richard Le sent a text to his 16-year-old son on Saturday at about 8 p.m., saying he and the teen's stepmother and little sister would soon leave the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver.
Instead Le, his wife Linh Hoang and their five-year-old daughter Katie were run down moments later, the family is among the 11 people killed in a ramming attack, Le's brother said Monday.
Police and witnesses have said a black SUV raced down a crowded street lined with food trucks, leaving the dead and dozens of injured victims in its wake.
Of the 32 people sent to hospital on Saturday, police say seven people remain in critical condition and three more have serious injuries.
Thirty-year-old Vancouver man Adam Kai-Ji Lo has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder and police have said more charges are likely as victims are identified.
Vancouver Police Sgt. Steven Addison on Monday confirmed that Lo is the brother of Alexander Lo, who was murdered last year in Vancouver in an unrelated killing.
Adam Lo set up an online fundraiser for his brother's funeral expenses but it has since been removed from the GoFundMe crowdfunding platform.
Lo wrote that his brother had been murdered in a "senseless act of violence" and that while the brothers had "disagreements" the killing had hit him with "overwhelming force."
Addison said at a news conference on Monday that there are many people who are affected by Saturday's attack at the festival.
“We will never be normal again. But as people return to their normal routines we want to be victim centred and trauma informed.”
Of the 11 people who died, nine are female and two are male, Addison said.
He said police in a neighbouring jurisdiction had contact with the suspect the day before the rampage, but he wouldn’t say more than that.
“It was not criminal in nature and it didn’t rise to the level where it required mental health intervention."
Toan Le started a fundraiser on behalf of his brother, sister-in-law and niece, saying his nephew, Andy, only survived because he decided to stay home at the last moment to finish his homework.
Le said in an interview that they learned Saturday that Richard, 47, had been killed, but detectives told the family Sunday that Hoang as well as Katie Le, who was just about to graduate from kindergarten, had also been killed.
He described Katie has "super energetic," saying "she had a very lovable personality, and she really loved just being around people."
Le said his sister-in-law, who was 30 years old, was a dedicated mother to Katie and stepmother to Andy. "She's a really good person," he said.
Richard Le sold real estate for a Vancouver firm and coached badminton and tennis.
"If I was to tell my brother and to everyone else, just cherish your loved ones and your friends, family, because you never know when they might not be around and you won't have a second chance. So, take advantage of the time you have (with) them and cherish those people that you love," he said.
Le said Andy is in a state of shock, trying to absorb everything, and that his life has changed over just a few days.
A statement from Royal Pacific Realty, where Le worked, said it has received an "outpouring of shock, grief, and condolences from colleagues, friends, and clients who knew and admired Richard."
A teacher-counsellor from suburban New Westminster has also been identified as a victim in the festival attack.
Kira Salim's loss has left their friends and colleagues shocked and heartbroken, said a statement issued Monday from the superintendent at the New Westminster school district.
"Kira was a valued member of our community whose wisdom and care for our middle- and secondary-school students had a powerful impact," it said. "Their work, and the great spirit they brought to it, changed lives."
The Philippine Consulate General in Vancouver has issued a warning about fundraising campaigns set up on the website GoFundMe.
It said it had found campaigns claiming to raise money for victims' families using an image of the consulate's "official message," but the consulate has not created or sanctioned any fundraising efforts.
The statement posted on social media on Sunday advises people looking to donate money to "exercise vigilance and prudence to avoid being victimized by unscrupulous and malicious actors attempting to exploit this tragedy."
The sitting at the B.C. Legislature in Victoria on Monday began with a prayer by Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Kiel Giddens, who addressed the national Day of Mourning for injured and killed workers, as well as the victims of Saturday's attack.
Speaker Raj Chouhan then led the members in a moment of silence for those affected by the ramming before adjourning the session until Tuesday.
The accused in the rampage remains in custody. His next court appearance has been scheduled for May 26.
Vancouver Police have said the attack was not an act of terror. While they didn't have a motive, they said Lo has had multiple mental health interactions with their officers.
Addison said numerous events had been safely hosted in the city, including the Olympics, Taylor Swift concerts and fireworks events that draw hundreds of thousands to the city’s West End. But this attack was different.
“It’s hard to predict unpredictable behaviour,” he said.
— With files from Darryl Greer
(Original story: April 28 @ 9:20 am) - A teacher-counsellor whose wisdom and care changed lives has been identified as one of 11 people killed when a vehicle raced down a Vancouver street during a Filipino festival.
Kira Salim was among those who died at the Lapu Lapu Day festival Saturday night, says a statement Monday from the superintendent at the New Westminster school district.
It says the loss of a friend and colleague has left them all shocked and heartbroken.
"Kira was a valued member of our community whose wisdom and care for our middle and secondary school students had a powerful impact. Their work, and the great spirit they brought to it, changed lives," the statement says.
Adam Kai-Ji Lo, the suspect in the attack, has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder and Vancouver police say more charges will likely come when more victims are identified.
B.C.'s Ministry of Health said 32 people were sent to hospitals across the Lower Mainland. Some of them remain in critical or serious condition.
Monday's sitting at the B.C. Legislature in Victoria began with a prayer by Prince George-Mackenzie MLA Kiel Giddens who addressed the national Day of Mourning for injured and killed workers, as well as the victims of Saturday's attack.
Speaker Raj Chouhan then led the members in a moment of silence for those affected by the ramming before adjourning the session until Tuesday.
A Sunday night vigil for the victims drew hundreds of people, including Prime Minister Mark Carney and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, who both placed flowers on a growing memorial.
RJ Aquino from Filipino BC, which organized the Lapu Lapu festival, told the crowd the community is confused, devastated and numbed by the tragedy.
Aquino said there are many people who were at the vigil who witnessed the attack, and others who lost loved ones or were hurt will need care and support.
The accused in the rampage remains in custody. His next court appearance has been scheduled for May 26.
Vancouver police have said it was not an act of terror. While they didn't have a motive, they said the suspect has had multiple mental health interactions with their officers.
B.C. Premier David Eby told a crowd of mourners before the vigil that people across the country and around the world are thinking about them.
"I can't imagine the heartbreak that all of you are feeling," he said.
Aquino said they are working around the clock to put together an information page that will let people know how to get help and support.
