Colleagues of a Winnipeg man implicated in the shooting deaths of four family members in Oshawa, Ont., are “shocked and distressed” by the news, according to the president of the company.
Mitchell Lapa was the lone suspect in the shooting deaths of his brother-in-law, Chris Traynor, niece Adelaide, and nephews Bradley and Joseph. Their mother Loretta Traynor was shot but survived.
Police say Lapa himself died at the scene of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Global News has learned he had been working with property management company BGIS since 2018.
“We are all at BGIS saddened by this,” said president of BGIS Canada Mike Greidanus, didn’t know Lapa personally.
“Our hearts go out to the family and those affected, and it’s a terrible situation. Of course we all feel for all those affected. It’s certainly affected us as well.”
Greidanus added that the company remains in contact with Durham police to aid in their investigation.
Since learning of the tragedy on Friday, Greidanus says executives with the company have been arranging support and resources for employees.
“This morning we had a call with counsellors — grief counsellors and support councillors — with the team in Winnipeg,” Greidanus said.
“We had counselling available for all our team members that would either work with or is part of the team anywhere in the country who may need support through something like this.”
Meantime, neighbours of the gunman expressed similar shock over the weekend, after police sources say officers raided a suite on Dalhousie Drive in connection with the investigation.
“It’s scary, but at the same time, you wouldn’t know until it happens,” said Charles Idabor, a resident of the same complex.
A memorial continued to grow outside the home in Oshawa over the weekend, while the University of Guelph issued a statement mourning the loss of Bradley Traynor, 20, and offering support to fellow students and staff.
—With files from Matt Carty, Ryan Rocca and Erik Pindera