Festival suspect had mental health team, no sign he needed hospitalization: ministry

VICTORIA — The man accused of killing 11 people at a Vancouver festival was under the care of a mental health team, but there was nothing to indicate a change in his condition that warranted involuntarily hospitalization, British Columbia’s Health Ministry said Tuesday.

A ministry statement says the man alleged to have driven an SUV through a crowd of festival goers was “being followed closely” under the Mental Health Act by his Vancouver Coastal Health care team.

The statement says Adam Kai-Ji Lo gave “no indication of violence” in his presentation to the health team.

Premier David Eby referenced that statement in the legislature Tuesday when asked whether the current mental health system is providing the appropriate level of care for those with severe mental illness.

But he also added that it “leads to a whole array of other questions,” which he said could be part of a public inquiry if the current police investigation does not provide full answers about Lo or about the events leading up to the attack.

Eby told reporters earlier that he would hold a public inquiry now, but he doesn’t want to interfere in the criminal case of the accused.

“I think this individual is a mass murderer,” he said. “I think he should be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

He said there are many people who struggle with mental health issues, but the suspect “made the decision to run down children and seniors at a celebration in the community.

“We’ll leave the ultimate decision to the courts but that’s my opinion.”

Vancouver police Sgt. Steve Addison said during an update Tuesday that the attack was not being investigated as a hate crime, but as an “indiscriminate act of violence.”

He said 10 people remain in hospital, seven in critical and three in serious condition, including a 22-month-old boy.

Investigators have identified more than 200 witnesses and they’ll be conducting a video canvas spanning a radius of 25 blocks, Addison said.

Eby said the “No. 1 priority is ensuring justice for the Filipino community, ensuring that this man is held and tried and convicted for these murders.”

Interim Vancouver Police Chief Steve Rai said the morning after Saturday’s attack that the suspect had a “significant history of interactions with police and health-care professionals related to mental health.”

Lo, 30, faces eight counts of second-degree murder so far and police have said more charges are expected.

Dozens more were hurt in the attack on the Filipino community’s Lapu Lapu Day festival that sent victims flying as the vehicle sped through a crowded street lined with food trucks.

Police have said Lo was apprehended by bystanders after the attack before he was arrested at the scene.

While Eby said an inquiry into the ramming isn’t available immediately, he announced the launch of an independent commission to look into making public events safer.

Eby said the commission will have a “quick turnaround” to get full answers for organizers of events and festivals in the province by June.

He said that under the Public Inquiry Act the government can appoint a commission, collect information, do interviews and act quickly to deliver independent information to residents.

In a matter as urgent as this, Eby said timeliness is a critical part of the review. He said he wanted the public to be able to “gather and celebrate” over the summer without feeling unsafe.

His announcement came just before question period, when Conservatives asked about the state of mental health services in B.C.

Conservative Trevor Halford said the Mental Health Act needs revisions, adding that everybody is paying attention following the attack.

“The world is now watching what we do next and I can tell you this — in every community, whether it’s mine or any other member of this house, in all honesty, we are not doing enough to keep our streets and people safe,” he said.

Eby acknowledged the province needs an “urgent expansion of mental health supports” and pointed to the recent opening of 10 beds for people struggling with mental health and addiction issues and brain injuries with more on the way.

“We have 2,000 beds in the province that are available for doctors and nurses to use the Mental Health Act to hold people involuntarily and those services are available,” he said.

Eby also acknowledged public safety issues, but added that the number of incidents of repeat violent offenders is coming down.

These issues will resurface next week when the government agreed to an emergency debate on mental health.

The Conservatives called for the debate and Leader John Rustad welcomed the government’s recognition that there is a problem.

“I don’t know if they are willing to admit it in terms of the depth of the problem and that, quite frankly, is something that was concerning me when I was listening to answers all the way through question period,” he said.

Three members of a family of Colombian immigrants were meanwhile identified among the 11 people killed.

Metro Vancouver resident Alejandro Samper said he lost his mother Glitza Maria Caicedo, his father Daniel Samper and his sister Glitza Daniela Samper in the attack.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 29, 2025.

Wolfgang Depner, The Canadian Press