Ottawa mayor shares message of gratitude from husband and father of Barrhaven murder victims

Hundreds gather to mourn Barrhaven family Mourners gathered on Sunday in Ottawa to mourn the six family members killed in a mass murder at a home on March 8. CTV's Katelyn Wilson has

Dhanushka Wickramasinghe plans to stay in Ottawa and is committed to serving the community after his wife, four children and a family friend were killed in his Barrhaven home last month, according to Ottawa's mayor.

Mayor Mark Sutcliffe says after meeting with Wickramasinghe on Saturday, the two decided there was a message the father and husband of the victims wanted to share with residents.

"Mr. Wickramasinghe wanted to express his gratitude to the people of Ottawa and especially the police officers, paramedics, and hospital workers who have supported him and his family during these difficult weeks," Sutcliffe said in a social media post.

"He is a very kind, generous, gentle, and inspiring man. Despite the enormous tragedy he has experienced, he is committed to serving his community. He wants to volunteer to help young people. He wants to stay in Ottawa and contribute to our community.

"I found that very touching and admirable, and frankly, awe-inspiring."

Six people were found dead inside a home on Berrigan Drive on March 6.

The victims were Darshani Dilanthika Ekanayake, 35, and her four children – seven-year-old Inuka, four-year-old Ashwini, three-year-old Ranaya and two-month-old Kelly. The body of a family acquaintance, 40-year-old Gamini Amarakoon, was also found inside the home.

"As a husband and father, I’m heartbroken for Mr. Wickramasinghe and his family. He has lost everything. But despite his incredible grief and loss, his message of hope and gratitude were deeply moving and inspiring to Ginny and me," Sutcliffe said.

"I promised that our community would continue to support him in the months and years ahead. We must continue to put our arms around Mr. Wickramasinghe and his family."

Febrio De-Zoysa, 19, is facing six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. De-Zoysa is a Sri Lankan national, who attended classes in the winter of 2023 at Algonquin College.