The Canadian government has labeled the tragic murder of a Sri Lankan family in Ottawa, which included four little children, as a “mass killing.”
The youngest of the six fatalities was less than three months old, and all six were newcomers to Canada. The family’s 19-year-old Sri Lankan housemate faces six first-degree murder charges and one attempted murder charge.
Febrio De-Zoysa, a 19-year-old Sri Lankan student, has been charged with six charges of first-degree murder and one act of attempted murder; however, the motive for the crime is yet unknown.
While his family stayed in Sri Lanka, Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, a citizen of Sri Lanka, spent many years living alone in Ottawa, Canada, trying to make a life for himself. Last summer, he returned to his peaceful Barrhaven suburb after a long day at work at about 11 p.m., sure that the morning would bring the usual flurry of activity from his large family. A scary situation, however, was unfolding outside Wickramasinghe’s front door on Wednesday. The police later described what happened as a “knife-like object” slicing across Mr. Wickramasinghe’s face as he struggled with his assailant. There was blood all over the floor, he hurt his back and chest, and he lost a finger. Upon entering, his entire family was gone. Murdered.
A boy, Inuka Wickramasinghe, who is seven years old, and three girls named Ashwini, Ranyana, and 2-and-a-half-month-old Kelly were identified as the children. The family’s 19-year-old foreign student, De-Zoysa, is currently facing six first-degree murder charges and one attempted murder charge.
The prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, condemned the massacre of the Sri Lankan family, calling it a terrible act of violence. The head of the Ottawa police department issued a statement Thursday, also condemning the violence, saying it was unnecessary and directed at innocent people.
