Car crashes into Cirque du Soleil venue at Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum during live show; driver arrested

A man has been arrested after a car drove into and crashed in the Pacific Coliseum during a Cirque du Soleil performance in East Vancouver on Thursday evening, June 5. The incident occurred around 8:00 p.m. PDT, when a white SUV drove directly onto the Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) grounds, eventually smashing into the performance tent near Renfrew Street and Dundas Street.


According to Vancouver police, the vehicle sped through locked security gates before ramming into the white tent that houses Cirque du Soleil’s Koozå show. The tent had been closed then, and no staff or audience members were inside.


Witnesses said the driver ignored warnings and appeared determined to force his way through the premises. A security guard who had attempted to stop the vehicle narrowly escaped being hit, police said.

Police officers responded quickly and took the driver into custody at the scene. The man was the sole occupant of the vehicle. His identity has not been released, and the driver was apprehended under the Mental Health Act, according to a brief statement from the VPD on social media.

Authorities believe the crash was intentional, but the suspect's motive remains unclear. Investigators are now working to determine why the man targeted the venue. However, they are not considering it an act of terrorism.

The vehicle has been removed from the site, and police continue collecting evidence. No injuries were reported in the incident.

The crash damaged the tent and the surrounding fencing. Cirque du Soleil representatives confirmed the damage but said that performances would continue as scheduled.

“We are cooperating fully with local authorities,” a spokesperson for the show stated, “and we are grateful that no one was harmed.”

Cirque du Soleil: Koozå is currently performing at the PNE’s Concord Pacific site and is scheduled to run through the end of the month.

Vancouver police are asking anyone with information or video footage of the incident to come forward. The investigation is ongoing, and more details are expected in the coming days.