- By Johanna Chisholm & Nadine Yousif
- BBC News, Toronto
Canadian police are describing the deaths of members of a Sri Lankan household, together with 4 young youngsters, in Ottawa as a “mass killing”.
Police say the six victims have been newcomers to Canada, and the youngest was lower than three months old.
A 19-year-old scholar from Sri Lanka who lived with the household has been charged within the killings.
“This was a mindless act of violence perpetrated on purely harmless individuals,” mentioned Ottawa’s police chief on Thursday.
Officers responded to emergency calls placed at roughly 22:52 native time (03:52 GMT) on Wednesday from the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven.
When they arrived, police chief Eric Stubbs mentioned officers rapidly recognized the suspect, who was arrested with out incident.
Officers then entered the home and found the victims, which included a mom, her 4 youngsters, and an acquaintance who was dwelling with the household.
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The victims have been recognized as 35-year-old Darshani Banbaranayake Gama Walwwe Darshani Dilanthika Ekanyake and her 4 youngsters: seven-year-old Inuka Wickramasinghe, four-year-old Ashwini Wickramasinghe, two-year-old Rinyana Wickramasinghe and two-month-old Kelly Wickramasinghe.
The acquaintance and sixth deceased sufferer was recognized as 40-year-old Amarakoonmudiayansela Ge Gamini Amarakoon.
Chief Stubbs mentioned the household’s father suffered accidents and was taken to hospital in severe however secure situation.
The suspect was recognized by police as 19-year-old Febrio De-Zoysa. He has been charged with six counts of first-degree homicide and one depend of tried homicide.
Chief Stubbs mentioned the victims have been killed and injured utilizing an “edged weapon”. The police investigation is ongoing.
He mentioned the incident is the largest homicide case in Ottawa’s recent historical past, calling it a “actual tragedy” that may proceed to have a “vital” influence on the nation’s capital metropolis.
“I’m positive the influence on the neighborhood is nice,” he added, whereas emphasising that residents and neighborhood members ought to proceed to avoid the world.
In a separate interview with CBC News earlier on Thursday, he mistakenly referred to the incident as a “mass capturing”, which was later corrected.
In Toronto on Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau expressed “shock and horror” on the incident, which he referred to as a “horrible violence”.
Ottawa’s mayor referred to as the a number of murder occasion “some of the stunning incidents of violence in our metropolis’s historical past”.
“We are proud to reside in a protected neighborhood however this information is distressing to all Ottawa residents,” Mark Sutcliffe wrote in a put up on X, beforehand generally known as Twitter.
“Thank you to our emergency responders who’re investigating and supporting those that are affected by this horrible occasion,” he added.
