Residents in Ottawa, Canada are reeling from a tragic mass killing that took the lives of four young children, their mother, and a family acquaintance. The bodies were discovered in a townhouse in Barrhaven, a suburb located 15 kilometers south of downtown Ottawa, on Wednesday night.
The sole survivor of the attack is the children’s father, who sustained injuries from an edged weapon and was hospitalized. Bhante Suneetha, who knew the family from a local Buddhist monastery, described them as sweet and kind individuals. The shocking incident has left the community devastated, with many struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.
As residents and members of the Sri Lankan community gathered at a park near the crime scene to pay their respects, candles were lit, flowers were laid, and stuffed animals were left as a makeshift memorial. The victims, who were newcomers to Canada from Sri Lanka, included a mother, her four young children, and a 40-year-old acquaintance who resided with the family.
The injured father, identified as Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, arrived in Canada in 2020 before being joined by his wife and children in the following year. The family was known for their kindness and active involvement in the community. Dhanushka, who also worked as an Uber driver and owned a cleaning business, is described as being in a state of shock following the tragic events.
The suspect, Febrio De-Zoysa, a 19-year-old international student from Sri Lanka, has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. He was a former student at Algonquin College, where he last attended in the winter of 2023. Authorities revealed that an edged weapon was used in the homicides, and De-Zoysa appeared in court for the first time on Thursday afternoon.
In response to the devastating loss, the Hilda Jayewardenaramaya Buddhist Monastery is accepting donations for the victims’ families. A candlelight vigil is set to take place on Saturday morning in Palmadeo Park, where mourners will gather to honor the lives lost. The community is united in grief and seeking ways to support the affected families during this difficult time.