Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, left, and Darshani Ekanyake, right, pose for a photo along with their seven-year-old son, Inuka Wickramasinghe, and three daughters: Ashwini, 4; Rinyana, 2; and Kelly, two-and-a-half months in this undated handout photo published to social media platform Facebook. Ekanyake, her four children and a family friend were killed in their Ottawa home in a vicious attack. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Facebook *MANDATORY CREDIT*
OTTAWA – The 19-year-old charged with killing six people in an Ottawa suburb last week is being held in protective custody, his lawyer says.
Febrio De-Zoysa was arrested last Wednesday and is charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder.
Police say De-Zoysa, who came to Canada as an international student, had been living with the victims, who were also newcomers from Sri Lanka.
They include 35-year-old Darshani Ekanayake and her four children, who range in age from two months to seven years old, and a family friend.
Her husband and the children’s father, Dhanushka Wickramasinghe, was taken to hospital with injuries to his hands and face.
Lawyer Ewan Lyttle told reporters his client is “doing OK” and being held in protective custody “given the allegations.”
Lyttle says he has been in touch with the young man’s family and that they are “very upset.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Mar. 13, 2024.
