‘Ottawa Father of Slain Family Expresses Gratitude for Public Support Amid Tragedy’
The father who survived an attack that the mayor of Ottawa has described as one of the city’s worst instances of mass violence is expressing gratitude to the public for its support.
Dhanushka Wickramasinghe issued his first public statement through the police after a gathering of hundreds at a convention center on Mar. 17 to mourn his family.
On March 6, police discovered his 35-year-old wife Dharshini Ekanyake, their four children, and a family friend dead inside their Barrhaven townhouse.
The grieving father, who sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized that night, is deeply saddened by the loss of his beloved wife and his children—his beautiful angels—whose ages ranged from two months to seven years old.
Mr. Wickramasinghe is also mourning the life of his dear friend Gamini, who was residing with the family.
He appreciates the first responders and hospital staff for assisting him in navigating through the initial shock and chaos following the tragedy.
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In his statement on Mar. 18, the Sri Lankan man also expressed his thanks for the support from the Buddhist Congress of Canada, Ottawa’s Sri Lankan community, and the general public for their thoughts and prayers.
A 19-year-old international student who was residing with the family at the time of the incident has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
According to Febrio De-Zoysa’s lawyer, the family of the young man is devastated by the accusations, and due to their severity, he is being held in protective custody.
He is scheduled to appear in court on March 28.
Authorities have not disclosed a motive for the alleged crimes.
