Members of Edmonton’s Vietnamese community and others gathered at a local monastery Sunday to pay respects to the victims of last week’s mass murder.
Dozens attended the service at Truc Lam Monastery for the eight people killed in one of the worst mass killings in the country’s history.
Among the mourners was Tam Nguyen, who lost his wife, Ha Truong, and his three-year-old daughter, Valentina.
Thuy Tien Truong, 35, Elvis Lam, 8, Thi Dau Le, 55, Van Dang Truong, 55, and Viet Nguyen, 41, were also killed in the same north-side house by Tien Truong’s 53-year-old husband Phu Lam. Lam was later found dead from an apparent suicide at a restaurant outside of the city.
Another woman, 37-year-old Cyndi Duong, was killed at a separate home. Duong was not an intended target, police said.
“It’s really painful. It’s really touched my heart,” said Nga Ho, a volunteer at the monastery. “It’s really painful to us as Vietnamese people.”
The seven victims at one of two murder scenes were found more than 36 hours after they had been killed, police said. Police described the murders as deliberate and planned.
At the service, all of the dead were remembered, including the killer.
“We do not blame even the ones who create the problems, because they’re still the victims of ignorance, of hate, and of greed,” said abbot Phap Hoa.
Hoa said the tragedy was a reminder to foster relationships and to practice love instead of hate.
The funeral for the murder victims is set to take place on Tuesday. The monastery is collecting donations to help cover the cost of the service.
With a report from CTV Edmonton
