A Montreal man, Fsha Tekhle, has been charged with first-degree murder following the death of Brkti Berhe, a 36-year-old woman from Ottawa. The tragic incident, which took place on Thursday morning in an Ottawa park, is being classified as a femicide, as Berhe was fatally stabbed in front of her children.
According to Ottawa police, the attack occurred around 11:30 a.m. near the intersection of Uplands and Paul Anka Drive, located south of downtown Ottawa and near the international airport. Berhe, a mother of four, was with two of her children when she was attacked. She succumbed to her injuries at Paul Landry Park, while her children, fortunately, were not harmed. They were taken to the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO) as a precaution.
Witnesses at the scene were praised for their quick response, providing protection for the children during the traumatic event. Police later identified the suspect as Fsha Tekhle, 36, from Montreal, and confirmed that he fled the scene in a vehicle. Tekhle was apprehended around 50 kilometers away in Casselman, Ontario, near exit 66 on Highway 417.
Ottawa police have since confirmed that Tekhle has been charged with first-degree murder in connection with Berhe’s death. Deputy Police Chief Trish Ferguson revealed that Tekhle had a domestic relationship with a family member of Berhe’s, and the killing is being treated as a femicide, where a woman is killed because of her gender.
This marks the second homicide in Ottawa to be officially categorized as femicide. Ottawa police, in collaboration with community partners, have adopted the term as part of a broader initiative to address gender-based violence.
Shortly after the attack, a Facebook account believed to be linked to Tekhle posted a single word in Amharic, an Ethiopian language, which translates to “Done.” The post was timestamped 11:40 a.m., about ten minutes after Berhe’s killing. The account was deactivated by Friday morning, just before Tekhle made his court appearance.
Tekhle is scheduled to appear in court again, facing charges related to the fatal stabbing of Berhe, whose death has sparked both shock and concern in the community.
