A public funeral honouring the six victims of the city’s largest murder in its recent history started at 1 p.m. Sunday.
The multi-faith funeral service is taking place at the Infinity Convention Center at 2901 Gibford Dr. where six books of condolences will be available for people to sign. Teddy bears and cards will be taken to the temple where the surviving father of the attack, Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, worships.
The surviving father is attending the service.
The Buddhist Congress of Canada told CTV News Ottawa’s Katie Griffin “a statement from Mr. Wickramasinghe will be released to the media at the conclusion of the funeral service.”
A mother, her four children, and a family acquaintance were killed inside a two-storey townhouse on Berrigan Drive in Barrhaven — an Ottawa suburb — on March 6. Their father was seriously injured in the attack, but survived.
The victims have been identified as 35-year-old Banbaranayake Gama Walwwe Darshani Dilanthika Ekanyake and her four children: seven-year-old Inuka Wickramasinghe, four-year-old Ashwini Wickramasinghe, three-year-old Ranaya Wickramasinghe and two-month-old Kelly Wickramasinghe. A sixth man, 40-year-old Gamini Amarakoon Amarakoon Mudiyanselage, was also found deceased at the home. He had a wife and two children living in Sri Lanka.
The family had moved to Canada in recent months with three of their children — the two-and-a-half month old infant was born in Canada.
Meanwhile, the suspect accused in the mass killing who was living rent free with the family — Febrio De-Zoysa, 19 — made a brief appearance in an Ottawa courtroom Thursday afternoon.
He appeared by phone before a date was set for his next court appearance on March 28.
His lawyer told CTV News Ottawa he is currently in protective custody.
De-Zoysa is facing six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
More details to come
With files from the Canadian Press and CTV News Ottawa’s Katie Griffin
