Leylah Fernandez/Instagram 

MANILA — Canadian tennis player Leylah Fernandez on Tuesday condoled with the victims of a car-ramming attack that left 11 dead at a Filipino street party  in Vancouver.

Fernandez, whose mother is of Filipino heritage, said shew as “absolutely devastated to hear about the death of my fellow Canadian-Filipinos” at the Lapu-Lapu Day celebration over the weekend.

“My heart goes to the families and the communities of the fallen victims. I love you all, stay strong, and I hope to see you soon,” Fernandez told her 350,000 Instagram followers.

No motive has been confirmed for the Saturday evening attack in the western city of Vancouver, though terrorism was ruled out by police.

The ramming shocked the country a day before a general election dominated by US President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian products and his threat to annex his northern neighbor, long a key ally and trading partner.

Police chief Steve Rai said the 30-year-old suspect drove a black Audi SUV and had a "significant history" of interaction with police and mental health care professionals.

The suspect, identified as Kai-Ji Adam Lo, 30, of Vancouver, was charged with eight counts of second-degree murder, according to the Vancouver Police Department.

Dramatic video shows emergency personnel rushing to aid Vancouver attack victims

The Filipino community had gathered in Vancouver's Sunset on Fraser neighborhood when festivalgoers were hit by the SUV.

Prime Minister Mark Carney, in a brief address to the nation, teared up as he addressed the tragedy.

Carney later visited Vancouver on Sunday, arriving with flowers in hand to attend a church vigil held in honor of the victims of the attack, according to the CPAC broadcaster.

"Last night families lost a sister, a brother, a mother, a father, a son, or a daughter," he said. "Those families are living every family's nightmare."

An AFP reporter saw police officers at the scene Saturday evening, with parts of the festival venue cordoned off.

Footage posted online and verified by AFP shows the vehicle with a damaged hood parked on a street littered with debris, meters from first aid crews tending to people lying on the ground.

Eyewitness Dale Selipe told the Vancouver Sun that she saw injured children on the street after the vehicle rammed into the crowd.

"There was a lady with her eyes staring up, one of her legs was already broken. One person was holding her hand trying to comfort her," Selipe told the newspaper.

Saturday's event featured a parade, a film screening, dancing and a concert, with two members of the Black Eyed Peas featured on the lineup published by the organizers.

Lapu Lapu Day is celebrated in the Philippines in remembrance of Indigenous chief Lapulapu, who led his men to defeat Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan in battle in 1521.

"This is the darkest day in our city's history," Vancouver police said in a statement.

Britain's King Charles III, Canada's head of state, said on Sunday he was "profoundly saddened" by the deaths.

— With a report from Agence France-Presse