Watch above: With standing room only, a special ceremony was held at an Edmonton monastery Sunday for the victims of the city’s worst mass murder. As Eric Szeto reports, the message was love, understanding and forgiveness.
EDMONTON — A prayer service was held at Edmonton’s Truc Lam Monastery Sunday morning to remember those killed in the largest mass murder in the city’s history.
The message given to those in the Buddhist monastery was one of love and acceptance after last week’s tragedies.
“Today is very much (about) appreciation to all the community, Vietnamese community; especially the Buddhist practitioners who are here to send their love, their care, their prayers to the victims,” said abbot Phap Hoa.
With twice as many people present as there would be during a usual Sunday service, prayers were said for each of the nine victims of the murder-suicide. In keeping with Vietnamese tradition, all of the victim’s names were displayed on a special altar.
“They need love. Everyone needs love,” said Hoa. “We need water to survive, we need the sunshine to survive, and we do not push anyone away.
“The reason things happen is because we cannot embrace each other. So in our practice, even the one who hurt us – why do they hurt? Because they have so much pain, so much problems inside – if we are able to embrace them, accept them, that is the only way to relieve and release them.”
Thuy Tien Truong, 35, Elvis Lam, 8, Thanh Ha Thi Truong, 33, Valentina Nguyen, 3, Thi Dau Le, 55, Van Dan Truong, 55, and Viet Nguyen, 41, were all found dead early Tuesday morning inside a north Edmonton home.
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Police say they were shot and killed by 53-year-old Phu Lam.
Cyndi Duong, Lam’s eighth victim, was found dead inside her southwest Edmonton home Monday night.
Lam was found dead inside a Vietnamese restaurant in Fort Saskatchewan, northeast of Edmonton. Police said he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
READ MORE: Edmonton mass murder victims included lone suspect’s partner and her family
“We feel very different today because of the news that brought us here and we would like to share the sorrow of the family,” said Cat Tuong Truong, who attended the service.
“The Vietnamese community, we care about each other very much. When something happens to some people we always come to share and we want to help each other.”
Daryl Vadnais, who has practiced at the monastery for six years, said the mood inside Sunday was more sombre than usual. However, he knows the community will come together as it always does.
“In Buddhism, it’s a lot of thinking about not only you but how you can make the surroundings better. So today will just be a lot of self reflection and a lot of community-based activities, if you will, to centre around that family and what’s happened.”
Family members of the victims were also in attendance Sunday. Hoa said Tam Nguyen, who is Thanh Ha Thi Truong’s husband and Valentina Nguyen’s father, is doing well. He is focused on making funeral arrangements.
“In the past week, with the family support, with the community support, he calmed a lot. He relaxed a lot more.”
Elsewhere, a minute of silence was held at all SWAT hockey games held in Edmonton this weekend. The moment of reflection was marked in honour of Duong and her family. She leaves behind a husband and three children.
A funeral service for Duong, which will be private, will be held Monday. A funeral for six of the family members will be held Tuesday.
The Truc Lam Monastery is accepting donations to help pay for funeral costs.
With files from Eric Szeto, Global News.
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