Family of newcomers from Sri Lanka die in Canada murder spree

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) – A 19-year-old Sri Lankan has been charged with killing six people in the worst murder spree in the history of Canada’s capital of Ottawa, police said Thursday.

Five of the dead are from one family, including a 35-year-old mother and her four young children. An acquaintance who happened to be at the home was also murdered, while the father of the family is in serious condition in a hospital.

Police received an emergency call to an Ottawa suburb just before 11 p.m. Wednesday.

"Officers entered the home to check on the safety of those inside, and that is where they began to discover the six victims, the youngest of which is less than three months old,” Ottawa Police Chief Eric Stubbs said at a press conference.

“The family are newcomers to Canada and are originally from Sri Lanka," he added.

Stubbs said an edged weapon was used to commit the murders. When asked by a reporter if the killing was the worst in Ottawa history, he said “it certainly is.”

The chief said the 19-year-old is a Sri Lankan national who is believed to be a student in Canada. He has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one of attempted murder.

Police released the names of the deceased at the press conference.

They are 35-year-old Darshani Banbaranayake Gama Walwwe Darshani Dilanthika Ekanyake and her four children: 7-year-old Inuka Wickramasinghe, 4-year-old Ashwini Wickramasinghe, 2-year-old Rinyana Wickramasinghe and two-month-old Kelly Wickramasinghe. A man, 40-year-old Amarakoonmubiayansela Ge Gamini Amarakoon, was also found deceased in the home.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the crime was unimaginable.

"Obviously, our first reactions are all one of shock and horror at this terrible violence,” he said. "We are expecting that the community reaches out to support family and friends."​​​​​​​

No motive has been given for the crime.