Canada: Six Members of Sri Lankan Community Murdered

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The Facts

  • Six people from Sri Lanka, including a mother and her four young children, were found stabbed to death in their home in the Canadian capital of Ottawa on Wednesday.

  • Police identified the victims as Darshani Dilanthika Ekanyake, 35, and her children: Inuka Wickramasinghe, 7; Ashwini Wickramasinghe, 4; Rinyana Wickramasinghe, 2; and Kelly Wickramasinghe, 2. Amarakoonmubiayansela Ge Gamini Amarakoon, 40, a friend of the family was also killed.


The Spin

Narrative A

Sources close to this tragedy have said the suspect expressed mental health issues in the months leading up to the killings, which isn't uncommon for students — especially from other countries — because they've been isolated since the start of the COVID pandemic. Communities must do more to address mental health issues to lower the risk of these types of incidents.

Narrative B

There is no justification for this extreme violence. This suspect callously murdered six innocent victims, including four very young children. All of Canada is shocked and horrified, and everything possible must be done to hold the perpetrator of this heinous crime to account.