On March 6, 2024, the Wickramasinghe family, Sri Lankan immigrants, were fatally stabbed inside of their house in Barrhaven, a suburb of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Four children were killed, along with their mother and a male family friend. Their father was injured. It was the worst mass killing in the city's recent history.[1]
| 2024 Ottawa stabbing | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Location | 324 Berrigan Dr, Barrhaven,[1] Ottawa, Ontario, Canada |
| Date | March 6, 2024 |
Attack type | |
| Weapons | Knife-like edged weapon |
| Deaths | 6 |
| Injured | 1 |
| Accused | Febrio De-Zoysa |
Febrio De-Zoysa, 19, a Sri Lankan former Algonquin College student residing with the family, was arrested in connection with the incident, and was charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.[2][3]
Background
editThe seven victims were Sri Lankan immigrants who were "new to Canada." All except one were members of the same family; the remaining victim was a family acquaintance who was also living in the home. The surviving victim was the father of the family, while those killed included his wife and four children, aged seven, four, three years, and the youngest two months.[4] The two oldest children were in grade two and junior kindergarten at Monsignor Paul Baxter School.[5]
Incident
editEmergency responders received calls to 9-1-1 shortly before 11 p.m. on March 6, 2024. Authorities responded within several minutes.[5]
Investigation
editPolice reported not having any previous interactions with the suspect or the victims.[5]
The student arrested in connection with the event appeared in court on the afternoon of March 7.[5]
Reactions
editMark Sutcliffe, the mayor of Ottawa, called the event "one of the most shocking incidents of violence in our city's history."[2] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called the event a "terrible violence".[4]
A memorial was set up in Palmadeo Park, close to the location of the event.[5]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b Warren, Ken; Glass, Marlo; Crawford, Blair (7 March 2024). "Ottawa's worst mass killing shocks and devastates Barrhaven, and the city". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ a b Gillies, Rob (7 March 2024). "6 dead after mass stabbing at Ottawa home, student who lived with family arrested". Associated Press. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ Gable, Blair (7 March 2024). "Six Sri Lankans knifed to death in Canadian capital in rare case of mass murder". Reuters. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ a b Chisholm, Johanna & Yousif, Nadine (7 March 2024). "Sri Lankan family dead in Canada 'mass killing'". BBC. Retrieved 7 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "6 dead including 4 children in Ottawa mass killing". CBC. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 7 March 2024.