The 19-year-old charged with killing six people in an Ottawa suburb last week is being held in protective custody, his lawyer said Thursday.

Febrio De-Zoysa was arrested March 6 and is charged with six counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted murder. "I can comment that he's in protective custody. He's doing OK," his lawyer, Ewan Lyttle, told reporters after a brief court appearance that took place by phone.

De-Zoysa's matter was adjourned until March 28 to give Lyttle time to receive and begin reviewing disclosure from the Crown, a process he suggested would take months. 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 included 35-year-old Darshani Ekanayake, her husband Dhanushka Wickramasinghe and their four children. Ekanayake had moved to Canada in recent months with three children — Inuka, 7, Ashwini, 4 and Ranaya, 3. Kelly was born in Canada two-and-a-half months ago.

Wickramasinghe was taken to hospital with injuries to his hands and face. A friend who had been living with them, 40-year-old Gamini Amarakoon Amarakoon Mudiyanselage, was also killed. He had a wife and two children living in Sri Lanka.

Naradha Kodituwakku of the Buddhist Congress of Canada has been among those supporting Wickramasinghe while he recovers. Kodituwakku said Wickramasinghe was still in hospital as of Thursday afternoon and his father and brother had arrived from Sri Lanka to support him.

The funeral for his wife and children is expected to be held this weekend. A monk at the temple the family attended told The Canadian Press last week that Wickramasinghe arrived home late from his cleaning service job to find that his family was dead.

Bhante Suneetha, the resident monk at Hilda Jayewardenaramaya Buddhist Monastery, said that's when Wickramasinghe was attacked. Suneetha also said Wickramasinghe told him the suspect had been having difficulties at school.

Lyttle said he has been in touch with the suspect's family and that they are "obviously very upset." He said they do not live in Sri Lanka, but he declined to say where they have been living.

An aunt who lives in Ottawa told Global News last week that De-Zoysa stayed with her when he arrived in Canada two years ago, but that he had cut off communication with his family. Any potential request for De-Zoysa to undergo a mental-health assessment would "probably be a few months from now," Lyttle said.

He declined to comment on his client's mental state, saying only he had met with him in person and over video. Police have not publicly suggested a motive for the alleged murders. Chief Eric Stubbs told reporters last week the victims were attacked with a "knifelike object."

The deaths have triggered an outpouring of shock and grief from the community. Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe called the killings "one of the most shocking incidents of violence" in the city's history.

A series of events will be held over a period of three days beginning today (17) in the Northern and Eastern regions as well as Colombo to mark the end of war 15 years ago.

Pivithuru Hela Urumaya (PHU) leader Udaya Gammanpila yesterday (16) said that nominee to be the next US Ambassador to Colombo Elizabeth K. Horst had revealed that the Wickremesinghe-Rajapaksa government announced a ban on foreign research vessels’ entry into Sri Lankan waters on January 1 this year at the behest of the US.

The Gampaha High Court Trial-at-Bar acquitted the four accused including a Major involved in the shooting incident that resulted in the deaths of three individuals and the injury of several others during a protest for clean drinking water in Rathupaswala on August 1, 2013.

Former Army Commander General Mahesh Senanayake who joined the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) today has been appointed the head of the party's Ranaviru Balakaya. Ranawiru Balakaya is a group of ex-military men who support the SJB. He received the appointment from Party Leader Sajith Premadasa this morning.

The Indian Navy has arrested 14 Sri Lankan fishermen along with five boats for crossing the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) and for fishing sea cucumber on Thursday, May 16, 2024.

Showery and windy conditions arebexpected to enhance during th enext few days from today evening due to pre-monsoonal conditions over the country and surrounding sea areas. Heavy rainfall above 100 mm can be expected at some places in Western,Sabaragamuwa, North-western provinces and in Galle and Matara districts.

Over 70 international transitional justice and human rights scholars have urged the Sri Lankan Government to halt the establishment of a Commission for Truth, Unity and Reconciliation (CTUR) as it has been rejected by victim groups and the broader national context is not conducive for such a process.

Former Speaker and National Movement for Social Justice Chairperson Karu Jayasuriya voiced his profound regret yesterday over the Police’s handling of the porridge distribution event in Sampur commemorating the victims of the war and enforced disappearances.

General Secretary of Amnesty International, Agnès Callamard, is scheduled to visit Mullivaikkal, in the Mullaithivu District, where the combined security forces defeated the LTTE.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe will attend the 10th World Water Forum High-Level Meeting in Indonesia, from 18 - 20 May at the invitation of Indonesian President Joko Widodo, the President's Media Division (PMD) said.

A specialized delegation will leave for Russia on the direction of President Ranil Wickremesinghe to investigate into the welfare of Sri Lankans amidst the on-going Russian-Ukraine war, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Tharaka Balasuriya said today.

Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) national list MP Mayantha Dissanayake has been appointed as the party's District Leader for Nuwara Eliya. Dissanayake, who made this announcement at a media briefing said he has also been appointed as the party organiser for the Nuwara Eliya constituency.

Claiming that relatives and comrades have a right to commemorate the war dead, NPP MP Vijitha Herath said today that the government must take steps to protect their rights.

A new election focused alliance led by the Sri Lanka Freedom Party’s (SLFP) Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva faction and the group of Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna breakaway Opposition Parliamentarians led by Nimal Lanza is to be launched next month (June) from Hambantota, said Opposition Parliamentarian Anura Priyadarshana Yapa.

In response to complaints received regarding questions 09 and 39 of the GCE (O/L) Science Paper 1, the Examinations Commissioner General has announced a decision to award two free marks to all candidates who attempted these questions.

In the wake of the recent mass withdrawal of AstraZeneca vaccines due to concerns over rare blood clots, Sri Lanka health experts emphasized that individuals who have received the AstraZeneca vaccine need not harbour undue fears regarding its safety.

A delegation comprising 15 officials of the Sri Lankan Supreme Court completed a four-day training programme from May 9 to13 at the Supreme Court of India, a statement from the Indian High Commission said.

President Ranil Wickremesinghe has instructed Prime Minister and Local Government (LG) Minister Dinesh Gunawardena to look into the possibility of invalidating the nominations accepted for the postponed 2023 (last year) LG elections.

Three females and a male were arrested by the Sampur Police on Sunday night for violating a court order by holding a commemoration event in remembrance of the Mullivaikkal war dead. According to sources, the arrested had allegedly distributed porridge to neighbours in memory of their relatives who were killed during the armed conflict.

United States’ Assistant Secretary Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs, Donald Lu, called on President Ranil Wickremesinghe today (13) at the Presidential Secretariat.