Two elders of First Nation killed in Delta, B.C., mall crash, two more hurt

DELTA — First Nations members sang and drummed near the bodies of two elders who were killed outside a shopping centre south of Vancouver on Wednesday.

The lament was heard from behind large white sheets that officers held up to give them privacy.

The Tsawwassen First Nation said the crash occurred during its walk to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Two others were also hurt in what police said was believed to have been set off by a medical emergency involving the driver of a pickup outside the Tsawwassen Mills shopping centre.

Later, community members, many of them dressed in orange, linked arms or held their hands to the sky as the bodies were loaded into a coroner’s vehicle.

Prime Minister Mark Carney said on social media that the Nation lost two beloved elders in an accident on a day already so heavy with grief.

“My thoughts are with the loved ones of those who died, those who were injured, and the entire community who are in grief and shock,” he said on social media.

Police said the injured were treated at the scene by ambulance teams and taken to hospital.

“Preliminary information indicates the driver of the involved vehicle may have experienced a medical emergency prior to the collision,” they said in a statement.

There was no ongoing public safety risk, and police said the crash was not related to the event being held by the community to mark the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

The Nation then cancelled events planned to mark the day.

“Tsawwassen First Nation is deeply saddened to confirm that an incident occurred during today’s Truth and Reconciliation Walk,” it said in a statement.

The call for help went out about 10:30 a.m., and the Provincial Health Services Authority said it sent 12 ground ambulances and two helicopters.

Video posted online shows a black truck against the mall’s exterior and police tape surrounding the area, along with ambulances and a helicopter in the parking lot.

By early afternoon, police tents had been set up around the crash site in front of a Boston Pizza restaurant beside one of the entrances to the shopping centre.

The pickup towing an equipment trailer could be seen bearing the word “Alpine” on its front door, though police later covered the logo.

The vehicle’s front end was damaged.

Police spent much of the day with First Nations members and others in the nearby Milestones restaurant. Many of those inside came to the window to watch as the bodies were loaded into a coroner’s vehicle.

NDP Leader David Eby told reporters at an unrelated event Wednesday marking the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation that the day is already a challenging one.

“We send all of our love to the people of Tsawwassen, Tsawwassen First Nation, and with respect and appreciation for the work that they’re doing now to support the community in the wake of this tragedy,” he said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Sept. 30, 2026.

— With files from Darryl Dyck in Kamloops, B.C.