OttawaA maroon city of Ottawa plaque honouring the life, and tragic death, of Brkti Berhe is the latest addition to Paul Landry park in south Ottawa. The plaque, which adorns a large boulder, was unveiled before Berhe’s family and friends during a memorial event at the park Tuesday evening.Brkti Berhe fatally stabbed in front of her children in Paul Landry Park 1 year agoLiam Baker · CBC News · Posted: Oct 29, 2025 1:31 AM EDT | Last Updated: 16 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesA new memorial honouring Brkti Berhe was unveilled at Paul Landry Park in south Ottawa on Tuesday. The memorial comes a year after Berhe’s murder, which Ottawa police ruled a femicide (Liam Baker/CBC)A City of Ottawa plaque honouring the life, and tragic death, of a woman who was fatally stabbed in front of her children last year now graces Paul Landry Park. The brown plaque, which adorns a large boulder, was unveiled on Tuesday in memory of Brkti Berhe, who died in October 2024. Ottawa police labelled her death a femicide, the second time the OPS had used the designation.“It’s a plaque that is hedged in stone that anyone that comes through this neighborhood can really see that there was a life taken,” said RJ McEwan, pastor of the REACH Centre in Ottawa.It’s also a reminder that “life is precious and will not be forgotten and at least stands as something that we will not forget at all in the years to come,” he said.McEwan was one of several community leaders, including members of Berhe’s family, who attended the event alongside neighbours who knew Berhe. Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe and River Ward Coun. Riley Brockington were also there, with both giving speeches and messages of condolence to the family.Still struggling to make sense of itThe death of the mother of four sent shockwaves through her community.“A lot of us are still struggling to find a way to make sense of it,” said Takwana Nhau, who lives near the park. “This doesn’t go away, so any opportunity to talk about it, like you try to Google it and there’s not much information on the Internet. We’re always Googling. And yeah, it’s hard.”Nhau, who says she didn’t directly know Berhe, says mothers in her community have tried to organize events in order to share in their grief. Nhau’s youngest child was the same age as one of Berhe’s children at the time of her passing.Brkti Berhe, 36, is seen in a photo posted on Facebook. Berhe was fatally stabbed at around 11:30 a.m. on Oct. 24, 2024, at Paul Landry Park in south Ottawa. (Facebook)For those who knew Berhe, her murder remains fresh in their mind, particularly with the unveilling of her memorial plaque. Rosa Dau is a member of the south Ottawa community and says she regularly spoke with Berhe when she would bring her children to the park. “I didn’t know it’s already a year, and it came very, very, very soon,” Dau said. “We’re going to remember this place no matter what.”Brockington says he consulted with the family over the past few months over what they felt would be the most appropriate way to honour the one-year anniversary. Ultimately, the family decided upon a plaque in the location of Berhe’s death. Community not hiding from tragedy“We don’t want to hide what happened here,” Brockington said. “As tragic as it was, we want people who come to this park to also remember Brkti, remember what happened here, how her family has been impacted, but also ways we as a community can help the family.”Berhe is survived by her husband and four children, one of whom gave a speech honouring her mother at the memorial event. Flowers and candles were provided to those in attendance, many of which were placed around the memorial.WATCH | Community members gather for a vigil for Brkti Berhe shortly after her death:Vigil remembers femicide victim Brkti BerheAt least 200 people attended the gathering Tuesday at Ottawa’s Paul Landry Park, the same park where Brkti Berhe was killed last week. Shortly after Berhe’s murder, Ottawa police arrested a 36-year-old Montreal man, Fsha Tekhle, on Highway 417 near Casselman, Ont. At the time, Ottawa police said Tekhle was previously in a domestic relationship with a family member of Berhe�’s.Minutes after the stabbing, a social media account which community members linked to Tekhle made a one-word post in Amharic, an Ethiopian Semitic language, which translated in English as “done.”Tekhle’s trial for first-degree murder is scheduled to begin next September. ABOUT THE AUTHORLiam Baker is an associate producer and reporter for CBC Ottawa. He also reports and produces stories on Inuit Nunangat for CBC Iqaluit. Previously, he’s reported for CBC Yukon, CBC Thunder Bay, CBC Toronto’s Enterprise unit. You can reach him at liam.baker@cbc.ca
South Ottawa community unveils memorial remembering woman stabbed in park
