Teenagers brandish knives, hammer at Canberra Centre
At about 6: 15pm ET on Friday, March 27, multiple youths were seen with knives at the canberra centre, triggering store lockdowns and urgent police calls. Shoppers fled into a clothing store and staff locked doors and called triple zero; officers arrived and investigations are ongoing. Police say there is no ongoing threat and no injuries have been identified.
Canberra Centre lockdown and eyewitness account
One witness shopping on the top floor of the canberra centre described a confrontation that began as a loud argument between two young males and escalated when one pulled out a long knife at about 6: 15pm ET. The witness said she saw a youth near the escalators sprint towards the other and brandish the weapon, describing it as “a knife that you would get in a butcher’s shop, not like a pocket knife but a really long one with a handle. ” She added, “I see this kid in an oversized hoodie with a massive knife. “
Dozens of shoppers reacted immediately at the canberra centre, many running into a nearby clothing store for cover. Staff locked all the doors, told people to turn off phones and noise alerts, and called triple zero. The locked group was held in a secure area for about 20–30 minutes while staff and customers stayed hidden; the witness said they heard further smashes and screams before being told the area was safe to leave.
Police response and scene status
An ACT Policing spokeswoman confirmed officers were called to the city shopping centre about 6: 20pm ET following reports of youths with knives “involved in a disturbance. ” Officers attended the scene and investigations are ongoing. The spokeswoman said no injuries have been identified or reported as a result of the incident and that there is no ongoing threat to the community.
The witness who sheltered in the locked store said staff were “incredible, ” adding that police told them emergency services had been called many times in the minutes following the incident. Shoppers described feeling shaken and some said they felt nauseous from the stress of the event, while expressing relief at being safe after the lockdown at the canberra centre.
What’s next
Police investigations are continuing and officers remain responsible for establishing the full circumstances of the disturbance at the canberra centre. Authorities will follow standard inquiries; further updates are expected as investigations proceed. For now, residents and visitors have been told there is no ongoing threat and no injuries have been identified.
