Two Indigenous Elders were killed and two other people critically injured after a vehicle struck a group of pedestrians outside a British Columbia shopping mall during a Truth and Reconciliation gathering.
The deadly crash happened shortly after 10:25 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 30, in the parking lot of Tsawwassen Mills in Delta, British Columbia, according to the Delta Police Department.
Investigators initially said the driver may have suffered a medical emergency before the collision. Police have since stressed that the investigation remains open and they are still working to determine whether a medical episode contributed to what happened.
Four pedestrians were struck.
Two victims, both Elders of the Tsawwassen First Nation, were pronounced dead at the scene. Two other people were airlifted to a hospital, where police said Thursday they remained in critical condition. Delta Police Department
The identities of the two people killed have not been publicly released as authorities work with the BC Coroners Service and support their families.
Driver Interviewed by Police
The driver also received medical attention following the crash and was later interviewed by investigators.
Police said the driver was subsequently released from the hospital. As of the department’s Oct. 1 update, no criminal charges had been filed.
Authorities said there was no information suggesting the collision was intentional and no continuing threat to the public.
Investigators are examining the circumstances leading up to the crash, including the possibility that the driver experienced a medical emergency beforehand. Delta Police Department
The distinction is important because early reports described the medical emergency only as a possible explanation. Police have not announced a final determination about what caused the driver to strike the pedestrians.
Tragedy Unfolded During Truth and Reconciliation Gathering
The crash occurred as members of the Tsawwassen First Nation were participating in a Truth and Reconciliation Walk on Tsawwassen lands.
The community said the walk had been scheduled to conclude with a celebration of new house posts at Tsawwassen Mills when the vehicle struck four people.
Tsawwassen First Nation described the two people killed as “beloved Elders” and said its focus was on helping their families and others affected by the tragedy. Its offices were closed Oct. 1 and Oct. 2 as the community mourned. Tsawwassen First Nation
The collision happened on Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, an annual day honoring survivors of the country’s residential school system and remembering children who never returned home.
More than 150,000 First Nations, Inuit and Métis children were separated from their families and sent to residential schools over more than a century, according to the Canadian government. Canada PM
Police specifically said the crash was not believed to have been connected to the Truth and Reconciliation Walk itself.
That clarification came amid initial confusion because the collision occurred during the gathering and on Tsawwassen First Nation lands.
Community Mourning After Deadly Crash
Tsawwassen First Nation asked the public and news media to respect the privacy of the victims’ families while authorities continued their investigation.
“We are also holding close in our thoughts those who were injured and everyone who witnessed this tragedy,” the First Nation said in its Oct. 1 statement.
The community also thanked police officers, paramedics, other emergency personnel and witnesses who helped after the collision. Tsawwassen First Nation
Police initially reported that the two surviving victims had been treated by BC Emergency Health Services and taken to a hospital. The department’s subsequent update revealed the severity of their injuries, saying both had been airlifted and remained in critical condition. Delta Police Department
Investigation Remains Open
Delta Police have not announced a final cause for the crash.
Investigators are asking anyone who witnessed the collision or has dashcam footage from the area around the time of the incident to come forward.
The department said officers are continuing to gather evidence and determine exactly what happened in the moments before the vehicle struck the four pedestrians.
No charges had been sworn as of the latest police update. Delta Police Department
Leave a Reply