Vancouver attack 'heartbreaking for all of us' says Winnipeg Filipino priest mourning street festival deaths

CBC News

· Posted: Apr 27, 2025 4:25 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

Junie Josue woke up Sunday greeting successful Winnipeg, similar overmuch of the country, to the quality of a deadly onslaught that wrenched his bosom and those of galore successful the Filipino community.

"In my 26 years [in this country], this is the saddest and the worst happening that happened to us, this is [very] overmuch devastating," the Filipino-Canadian and elder pastor astatine the International Worship Centre told CBC News. 

The nighttime before, much than 1,800 kilometres westbound of his church, a operator slammed a achromatic SUV into a assemblage astatine the Lapu Lapu Day Block Party successful Vancouver, sidesplitting astatine slightest 11 radical and injuring dozens much astatine the Filipino thoroughfare festival, successful what section constabulary are referring to arsenic the "darkest day" successful the city's history.

"What started arsenic a solemnisation became a tragedy," Josue said. "[It's] heartbreaking for each of us." 

The deadly car-ramming is not being investigated arsenic an enactment of coercion by Vancouver police, who said the suspect, a 30-year-old antheral nonmigratory of the city, has a past of intelligence health-related interactions with authorities. 

The onslaught upended the past time of the national predetermination run and sent daze waves passim Canada, with an outpouring of enactment and condolences coming from crossed the country. 

During Sunday's mass, Josue thought astir the household of those mourning the decease of a loved 1 killed. He besides prayed for those who were injured during the onslaught for their punctual recovery. 

But successful the aftermath of a devastating event, helium besides knows the Filipino assemblage volition basal up to assistance 1 different determination past this calamity — bringing a close-knit assemblage that already sees itself arsenic a large household adjacent closer. 

"Everybody's linking arms and, you know, conscionable encouraging and supporting those who person been affected," Josue said. 

Similar taste events are held successful Winnipeg to observe the Filipino assemblage and its heritage. Josue is hoping those celebrations volition spell connected this twelvemonth because, contempt what happened successful Vancouver, "we don't privation to unrecorded successful fear; we privation to unrecorded with optimism and hope," helium said. 

In airy of the car-ramming, the president of the Manitoba Filipino Street Festival said the enactment mightiness request to reconsider whether to clasp its yearly parade connected the streets of Winnipeg oregon astatine an indoor venue retired of a interest for safety. 

"This is not a regular incident. This is an isolated incidental … we conscionable person to beryllium careful," president Ley Navarro said.

Parishioners astatine his religion also prayed for those who were killed successful the onslaught and their families.

"Prayer really makes it easier for america to truly recognize each of this," helium said. 

Mayor Scott Gillingham referred to the onslaught arsenic "appalling," offering his condolences connected behalf of the metropolis connected societal media. Premier Wab Kinew shared a akin message, saying Manitobans are mourning and lasting with the Filipino community.

Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson condemned the onslaught connected a connection saying determination is no excuse, and nary justification for unit "that tears isolated families and communities." 

"Every beingness is sacred, and nary idiosyncratic oregon assemblage should person to endure specified pain," she said successful her connection portion besides offering her condolences connected behalf of AMC.

Garrison Settee, expansive main of Manitoba Keewatinowi Okimakanak, extended his enactment to the Filipino assemblage connected behalf of the enactment that represents 26 First Nation communities successful Manitoba's North.

"In our ways, beingness is simply a ineffable gift. When that acquisition is taken from america unjustly, we grieve together, we heal together, and we commune together," Settee said successful a statement.