On Thursday, authorities arrested a 19-year-old student in connection with a tragic incident. The lifeless bodies of four young children and two adults were discovered at a suburban residence near Ottawa, the capital city of Canada.
Police swiftly responded to an emergency call at 11:00 PM on Wednesday evening (0400 GMT Thursday). The incident occurred at a residence in the Barrhaven suburb of Ottawa.
Upon arriving at the scene, law enforcement discovered the lifeless bodies of four children, their 35-year-old mother, and a 40-year-old man. The police have identified the man as a family acquaintance who also resided in the same household.
The victims included a newborn, just two-and-a-half months old, along with children aged two, four, and seven years old.
The father, who is the woman’s husband, was discovered injured and promptly transported to the hospital. According to police reports, he is currently in critical condition.
An “edged weapon” had been used to kill and injury the family members, who were described by Police Chief Eric Stubbs as “newcomers to Canada… originally from Sri Lanka.”
The suspect taken into custody on Wednesday evening, also of Sri Lankan descent, was familiar with the family and resided in the same house at the time of the incident. Police Chief Stubbs shared this information during a press conference on Thursday afternoon, but did not disclose additional specifics regarding their connection.
“This was a senseless act of violence perpetrated on purely innocent people,” he said, describing the “mass killing” as extremely rare or even unprecedented for Ottawa.
Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau conveyed his deep shock and horror in response to what he described as a heart-wrenching tragedy.
Trudeau said speaking at a press conference, “Obviously, our first reactions are all ones of shock and horror at this terrible violence… And we expect the police of jurisdiction to be doing the work and keeping us all informed of this terrible tragedy.”
Ottawa’s mayor, Mark Sutcliffe, expressed his profound grief and sorrow on social media, stating: “I was devastated to learn of the multiple homicides in Barrhaven. This tragic event stands as one of the most shocking incidents of violence in our city’s history.”
“We are proud to live in a safe community but this news is distressing to all Ottawa residents,”He added.
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