VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Authorities reported on Tuesday that the individual accused of driving his SUV into a crowd at a Filipino heritage festival over the weekend, resulting in 11 fatalities and numerous injuries, was under the supervision of a mental health team prior to the incident.

Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, was being monitored by a team from Vancouver Coastal Health in accordance with the British Columbia Mental Health Act, which permits involuntary treatment for those with mental illnesses who may be a danger to themselves or others, as stated by the province’s Ministry of Health.

“There was no indication of violence in this individual’s presentation to the VCH team,” the ministry explained. “To the care team’s knowledge, there was no recent change in his condition or failure to comply with his treatment plan that would have necessitated involuntary hospitalization.”

Here’s what you need to know about the incident.

The victims included 3 members of a Colombian family

Among the 11 people killed, three were members of a Colombian immigrant family. Vancouver resident Alejandro Samper said he was preparing for work on Saturday night when he received a call from his sister’s fiancé about a “terrible accident.” He hurried to the scene of the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver.

His sister Glitza Daniela Samper, his mother Glitza Maria Caicedo, and his father Daniel Samper were fatally struck by an SUV that drove through the crowd at the Filipino cultural event.

“I’m just destroyed,” Samper expressed on Tuesday. “My entire world has been taken away from me.”

Samper mentioned that his family moved to Canada in the early 2000s, partly to escape violence in Colombia, and he is now trying to comprehend what happened and why.

“My parents sacrificed everything in Colombia, their careers, their lifestyle, everything, to provide us with a better future here in Canada,” he said. “It just doesn’t make any sense. Canada is supposed to be a safe place.”

Among the other victims were a 5-year-old girl and her parents. On Tuesday, health officials reported that approximately 16 people remained hospitalized. Seven were in critical condition, and three were in serious condition, including a 22-month-old, according to the police.

Investigators stated on Tuesday that they are interviewing around 200 witnesses and searching for surveillance footage within a 25-block radius of the incident site.

The attack puts a spotlight on mental health care

Lo has been charged with eight counts of second-degree murder. He has a significant history of interactions with law enforcement and healthcare professionals regarding mental health, as noted by the Vancouver police, including an encounter in another jurisdiction the day before the attack.

Vancouver police spokesperson Steve Addison declined to provide specifics about that encounter but mentioned that it was not criminal, did not seem to require involuntary mental health care, and he did not believe any information about it had been relayed to Vancouver police before the incident on Saturday.

“In my experience, it’s not something that would warrant proactive outreach,” Addison said on Tuesday.

Vancouver Coastal Health, one of British Columbia’s five regional health authorities, confirmed in a written statement that Lo had been under care while on leave from a treatment facility as he reintegrated into the community. Such teams can return patients to a hospital if they fail to adhere to their treatment plans.

“There was no indication this person was not following their treatment plan or posed a public safety risk,” the statement read.

British Columbia Premier David Eby stated he would order a public inquiry if the law enforcement investigation does not provide comprehensive answers about Lo or the events leading up to the attack.

In his remarks to the legislature on Tuesday, he acknowledged the province’s need for an “urgent expansion of mental health supports.” He noted that there are 2,000 beds available in the province for doctors and nurses to use the Mental Health Act to hold individuals involuntarily.

The Filipino community reels from the attack

Members of Vancouver’s rapidly growing Filipino community say the attack was particularly devastating because it occurred during an event celebrating their culture and unity. The Lapu Lapu Day festival honors Datu Lapu-Lapu, an Indigenous chieftain who resisted Spanish explorers in the 16th century.

“We felt ... the whole day was a joyful celebration, with people happy to be together,” said Bennet Miemban-Ganata, owner of the popular Plato Filipino restaurant in Vancouver, as she struggled to hold back tears during an interview. “We were there just to enjoy ourselves, to feel that we have each other in a foreign land.”

RJ Aquino, chair of the nonprofit Filipino BC, which promotes Filipino Canadian heritage, described it as a festival meant to share their culture. Additionally, he said, “Everybody also just loves having a big party.”

“The Filipino community knows how to be resilient,” Aquino stated. “How that resilience manifests this time — following a tragedy of this scale that we’ve never experienced before — we’ll see how it unfolds, and I’ll ensure we emerge stronger.”