'He's in great shock': Surviving father, community struggle to process mass killing of family
CBC
Barrhaven residents and members of Ottawa's Sri Lankan community say they are struggling to process the horrific mass killing of four young children, their mother and a family acquaintance.
Their bodies were found in their home in Barrhaven, about 15 kilometres south of Ottawa's downtown core, on Wednesday night.
Only the children's father survived. He was injured in the attack with an edged weapon, and was taken to hospital.
"We are all shocked, no doubt about that," said Bhante Suneetha, who met the family at a local Buddhist monastery, and described them as sweet and kind. "In my life, I haven't heard of such a tragic moment in our community."
Into the night, dozens of residents moved by what happened streamed silently into a dark tree-lined park two blocks away from the townhouse.
They lit candles, and dropped off flowers and stuffed animals at a makeshift memorial.
On Thursday, police said the family were newcomers to Canada from Sri Lanka.
Dhanushka Wickramasinghe is the injured father.
His wife, 35-year-old Darshani Dilanthika Ekanayake, was killed along with the couple's four young children — daughters Kelly, who was two months old; Rinyana, 2; and Ashwini, 4 — and son Inuka, 7.
The body of another man, 40-year-old Gamini Amarakoon, was also found at the scene. Both he and the accused were living with the family, police said.
Febrio De-Zoysa, 19, is now facing six first-degree murder charges and one count of attempted murder.
He was arrested at the home.
Nixsala Antony, who attended the informal memorial at the park near the crime scene, is from Sri Lanka but doesn't know the family. She said she was "startled" when she heard the news and still feels discomfort.
"They probably had a lot of hopes and dreams," Antony said. "It's really sad."
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