In a serious incident in downtown Ottawa, a 70-year-old man has died, and four others were injured when an SUV crashed into a building at the corner of Rideau and Cobourg streets. According to Ottawa paramedic superintendent Marc-Antoine Deschamps, emergency teams attempted to resuscitate the man while he was transported to the hospital. The building involved in the crash houses a drop-in center managed by Capital City Mission, which provides essential services like meals and clothing for those in need.

Deschamps reported that among the injured, two men have sustained critical but non-life-threatening injuries, while a woman pedestrian is in stable condition. The driver of the SUV escaped with non-life-threatening injuries and is also hospitalized in stable condition. The aftermath of the crash saw the grey SUV left with a damaged front end, resting on the sidewalk amidst debris, indicating the severity of the impact.

Witnesses like Feras Jarmans, an employee at a nearby restaurant, described the moment of the crash, highlighting the suddenness and loudness of the impact, which has since raised concerns about pedestrian safety in the area. As investigations continue into the cause of the crash, the incident has underscored the risks posed by vehicular traffic in densely populated urban environments, particularly near vulnerable populations that frequent local support services.