Residents and visitors in Ottawa said they were 'disgusted' and 'devastated' after learning the news on Sunday morning (April 27) that at least nine people were killed when a man drove through a crowd at a Filipino community festival in Vancouver on Saturday (April 26) evening.

Police said they had arrested a 30-year-old Vancouver man, who was "known" to them, at the scene. The suspect was initially chased down and held by festival-goers until police arrived, witnesses said. A number of people were also injured.

"It's truly heartbreaking," said 38-year-old Toronto resident Marya Mazher, a social worker.

"Devastated by it," said LeeAnn McGovern, 54, who lives in Ottawa and works as an urban planner. "It's awful news, awful that such a thing would happen. Tragic."

READ: 9 people killed after car plows into Filipino festival crowd in Vancouver

One witness told CTV News he saw a black vehicle driving erratically in the area of the festival just before the crowd was struck.

The incident happened shortly after 8 p.m. PDT (0300 GMT) near East 41st Avenue and Fraser Street, where the Lapu-Lapu Day Block Party, celebrating a Philippine national hero, was taking place.

(Production: Aleksandra Michalska)