OTTAWA - Late on Wednesday in the Canadian capital Ottawa, a tragic incident occurred where six individuals from Sri Lanka, including a mother and four young children, were fatally stabbed, as confirmed by the police on Thursday. The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, expressed his shock and horror at the event, labeling it a "terrible tragedy." The father of the family was also injured in the attack and is currently hospitalized.

Authorities have arrested and charged Febrio De-Zoysa, a 19-year-old Sri Lankan student, with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. According to police, De-Zoysa was acquainted with the family and had been residing in their home. The victims included a 35-year-old woman, her children aged 7, 4, 2, and 2 months, as well as a 40-year-old man who was known to the family.

Ottawa's police chief, Eric Stubbs, condemned the violence as a senseless act against innocent individuals, emphasizing that neither the suspect nor the family had any prior interactions with law enforcement. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe described the incident as one of the most shocking acts of violence in the city's history.

The tragic event unfolded in the Barrhaven neighborhood, where police responded to emergency calls shortly before 11 p.m. Mass killings are uncommon in Canada, with notable incidents including a shooting in a Toronto suburb in December 2022 and a stabbing in Saskatchewan in September of the same year.