In Ottawa, Canada, an incident happened on the night of Wednesday, March 6, 2024. Six members of a Sri Lankan family, including four young children, were brutally stabbed to death in their own home.
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The victims, identified as 35-year-old Darshani Banbaranayake Gama Walwwe Darshani Dilanthika Ekanyake and her four children—seven-year-old Inuka Wickramasinghe, four-year-old Ashwini Wickramasinghe, two-year-old Rinyana Wickramasinghe, and two-month-old Kelly Wickramasinghe—along with a 40-year-old family friend, Amarakoonmubiayansela Ge Gamini Amarakoon.
This incident is the largest mass killing in Ottawa in at least three decades. The accused perpetrator, Febrio De-Zoysa, a 19-year-old student from Sri Lanka who had been living with the family, has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
According to Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs, the incident happened shortly before 11 p.m. local time on Wednesday when emergency calls were placed, a swift response from law enforcement.
Upon arrival, officers found the victims inside the residence, with the father of the family, Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, outside the home, screaming for help. Mr. Wickramasinghe, seriously injured in the attack, was rushed to the hospital, where he remains in stable condition.
The details of the attack are chilling victims, including young children, attacked with what police describe as an “edged weapon.” The brutality of the crime have left investigators and people with grief.
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In Canada, a country known for its low crime rates compared to its southern neighbor, the United States. With just 14 murders reported in Ottawa in 2023 and 15 the year prior, such acts of violence are indeed uncommon.
The victims, described as caring, kind individuals, had immigrated to Canada in pursuit of a better life, only to have their dreams shattered in a single night of unimaginable horror.
Ottawa’s police chief, Eric Stubbs, condemned the attack as a “senseless act of violence perpetrated on purely innocent people,” addressing the impact it has had on the entire community.
Canada, a country known for its relatively low crime rates compared to its neighbor to the south, the United States.
With just 14 murders reported in Ottawa in 2023 and 15 the year prior, such acts of violence are an anomaly in a nation of over 38 million people.
As the investigation into this event continues, the people remain united in grief, offering support and solidarity to the grieving family and friends of the victims.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe, has expressed condolences to those affected by the incident.
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