Hunt Club victim is honored at a community vigil in Paul Landry Park

A community vigil is being organized in Ottawa’s Hunt Club neighborhood in memory of a local woman who was stabbed to death in Paul Landry Park this week.

The meeting will take place on Tuesday at 6pm in the park on Uplands Drive.

Brkti Berhe, wife and mother, was stabbed in broad daylight on Thursday in front of two of her four children. Medhanie Efter, a family friend, said Berhe has been in Canada for two to three years after arriving as a refugee from Israel.

River Ward County. Riley Brockington says the vigil is being organized in Berhe’s memory and the community is coming together to process the tragedy.

“It’s an opportunity for people to come, pray, meditate, talk about their experiences, come together and also learn about the services that exist,” he said.

Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and local police are expected to attend, Brockington said.

On Friday, police announced that Fsha Tekhle, 36, of Montreal, has been charged with first-degree murder.

Ottawa police have called Berhe’s death a femicide and say the suspect was in a domestic partnership with a relative of the victim.

“The fact that this happened in broad daylight in a city park that we know a lot of people, especially young people, come to enjoy is quite horrific,” said River Ward Coun. Riley Brockington on Saturday.

Brockington says trauma professionals from the South-East Ottawa Community Health Hub remain available to community members.

“Parks are happy places where families come together and for this to happen it is quite a shock to the community. But we must continue to enjoy this park, mourn, talk, support each other and ultimately continue to live.” in this community and to enjoy things like Paul Landry Park, which should be for everyone,” he said.

With files from Katelyn Wilson and Josh Pringle of CTV News Ottawa