Ottawa police confirm 2 boys killed by their father in murder-suicide

Ottawa police say two young boys who were found dead in a home on Mandevilla Crescent late last month were killed by their father.

The police service said Tuesday that it had completed its investigation, concluding the two boys, age seven and 12, were killed by their father, 40-year-old Mohammed Al-Lami, before he set fire to his dental practice in Iroquois and died by suicide in a vehicle near Kemptville.

“Investigators examined the three scenes, completed interviews, reviewed financial and digital records, and considered forensic and post-mortem findings,” police said in a news release. “The evidence established that Al-Lami acted alone. No other person is believed to have been involved, and there is no ongoing risk to public safety.”

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Police said the crimes occurred after Al-Lami picked the boys up for his scheduled parenting time on the afternoon of June 27. It is believed the boys were killed late June 28 or early June 29.

Investigators said they determined a pattern of intimate partner violence and continuing conflict around parental arrangements and financial support.

“While no single circumstance can fully explain this violence, the evidence indicates that these issues likely formed part of the context leading to the deaths,” police said.

Deputy Chief Patricia Ferguson said the deaths have had a “profound impact” on the community.

“Our investigators worked carefully to establish what occurred and to provide the family and the public with as complete an account as possible, while respecting the privacy and dignity of the children.”

The identity of the boys will not be released at the request of their mother.