March 16, Colombo (LNW): A public funeral is scheduled for Sunday afternoon to honor the six individuals tragically killed in Barrhaven last week. The Buddhist Congress of Canada (BCC) revealed in a news release that a multi-faith service will take place at 1 p.m. at the Infinity Convention Centre on Gibford Drive, south of Ottawa’s core.
The devastating incident, which occurred on March 6 in the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven, claimed the lives of four children and two adults. Among the victims were 35-year-old Darshani Dilanthika Ekanayake, along with her four young children: two-month-old Kelly, three-year-old Ranaya, four-year-old Ashwini, and seven-year-old Inuka. Additionally, the body of 40-year-old Gamini Amarakoon was discovered at the scene.
The lone survivor, Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, who sustained injuries from an edged weapon, is currently recuperating in the hospital. The BCC mentioned in their release that while Wickramasinghe is physically recovering, he requires psychological support to cope with the traumatic events and seeks privacy to mourn his family’s loss.
Meanwhile, Febrio De-Zoysa, a 19-year-old international student from Sri Lanka who resided with the family, has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. De-Zoysa, represented by lawyer Ewan Lyttle, is currently in protective custody due to the severity of the charges against him. The court proceedings are ongoing, with De-Zoysa scheduled to appear again on March 28.
