Accused in Vancouver Lapu-Lapu Day festival attack pleads not guilty to all 42 charges
The man accused of driving an SUV through the crowd at Vancouver's Lapu-Lapu Day festival in April 2025 pleaded not guilty on 2 November to 11 counts of second-degree murder and 31 counts of attempted murder. His judge-only trial is set to begin on April 19, 2027.
The man accused in the vehicle-ramming attack at Vancouver's Lapu-Lapu Day festival has pleaded not guilty to all 42 charges he faces, CBC News and The Canadian Press reported on 2 November. He faces 11 counts of second-degree murder and 31 counts of attempted murder.
CBC News names the accused as Kai-Ji Adam Lo; The Canadian Press names him as Adam Kai-Ji Lo. He is accused of driving an SUV through a crowd at the street festival hosted by Vancouver's Filipino community on April 26, 2025, killing 11 people and injuring dozens.
Monday's hearing
According to CBC News, Lo pleaded not guilty at an arraignment hearing on Monday morning in B.C. Supreme Court. He appeared via video from Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Port Coquitlam, stating "not guilty" as the charges were read out one by one in a process that took almost 20 minutes.
Damienne Darby, communications council with the BC Prosecution Service, said the pleas were entered by video conference, according to The Canadian Press.
CBC News reported that after the pleas, Justice Kathleen Ker declared a voir dire to consider submissions on the admissibility of evidence. The voir dire is scheduled to run for five weeks.
What comes next
| Step | Detail |
|---|---|
| Voir dire on admissibility of evidence | Scheduled to run for five weeks (CBC News) |
| Trial start | April 19, 2027, in B.C. Supreme Court |
| Trial format | Judge alone; Lo elected against a jury |
| Scheduled end of trial period | August 25, 2027 (The Canadian Press, June 2026) |
The Canadian Press reported that Lo's case was moved to B.C. Supreme Court earlier this year after previously being handled in provincial court, where a judge ruled he was fit to stand trial after hearing from two forensic psychiatrists. The proceedings are subject to publication bans.
The Canadian Press also reported that the attack has prompted recommendations and changes aimed at improving public safety at festivals and community events around the province.
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- The man accused in the April 26, 2025 vehicle-ramming attack at Vancouver's Lapu-Lapu Day festival pleaded not guilty on 2 November 2026 to all 42 charges.
- The charges are 11 counts of second-degree murder and 31 counts of attempted murder.
- He appeared by video from Forensic Psychiatric Hospital in Port Coquitlam, CBC News reported.
- A judge-only trial is set to begin in B.C. Supreme Court on April 19, 2027, and the proceedings are subject to publication bans.
Official sources
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