A tragic incident occurred at a bustling shopping center in Canberra where a car crashed into a store, resulting in the death of a four-year-old boy. The incident took place at the Southlands Shopping Centre in Mawson around 10:20 am local time on Sunday, January 18. Emergency services responded to reports of a vehicle veering off the road and colliding with the BWS store.
Medical teams attended to the young boy at the scene, but due to his critical condition, he was swiftly transported to the hospital for further treatment. Despite the efforts made, the boy succumbed to his injuries shortly after arriving at the hospital.
According to an Australian Capital Territory (ACT) police spokesperson, this unfortunate event marks the second road fatality of 2026 in the ACT. The police were alerted to the incident at 10:20 am on January 18, 2026, reporting a car crashing into a shopfront at the Southlands Shopping Centre in Mawson.
The pedestrian, a four-year-old boy, was struck by the vehicle and received immediate medical attention from ACT Ambulance Service paramedics before being rushed to the hospital in critical condition. Tragically, he passed away shortly thereafter. The driver of the car was also taken to the hospital for assessment.
The ACT Road Policing’s Major Collision Team is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the collision, and a detailed report will be prepared for the Coroner. Witnesses to the incident are encouraged to come forward and provide information to the authorities by contacting Crime Stoppers ACT and quoting reference number P2416705.