B.C. festival attack case delayed until January as defence reviews large volume of evidence

Court proceedings for the man accused of killing 11 people and injuring dozens more at Vancouver’s Lapu Lapu Day festival have been postponed until the new year to allow time for his defence to review extensive evidence.

Adam Kai-Ji Lo appeared by video in Vancouver provincial court on Friday, where both Crown prosecutors and defence counsel Mark Swartz agreed to return to court on January 12. Lo faces 11 counts of second-degree murder and 31 counts of attempted murder related to the April vehicle attack at the cultural event.

Prosecutor Michaela Donnelly told the court that thousands of pages of disclosure have already been shared with the defence, with additional materials still being prepared. She said the ongoing process has required several rounds of document exchanges since Lo’s previous court appearance in September.

Judge Reginald Harris agreed to adjourn the matter to allow both sides to review the material, noting that the large volume of evidence warranted additional time. Harris previously ruled that Lo is fit to stand trial, and a publication ban remains in place on evidence presented during his mental fitness hearing.