One of the Americans killed in the Easter bomb attacks in Sri Lanka was a young boy from the D.C. area.
Kieran Shafritz de Zoysa was a fifth grade student at D.C.’s Sidwell Friends School.
He had taken a leave of absence to study in Sri Lanka, and was planning to go back to the private school in Northwest D.C. in the fall.
“Kieran was passionate about learning, he adored his friends, and he was incredibly excited about returning to Sidwell Friends this coming school year,” said school principal Mamadou Gueye in an email to parents on Sunday.
“We are beyond sorry not to get the opportunity to welcome Kieran to the middle school.”
“This is obviously an unexpected tragedy for his family and for his greater community, including Sidwell Friends and the class of 2026,” Gueye added, suggesting that parents took the opportunity to speak with their children before the school addressed the grade level Monday.
At least 290 people were killed and more than 500 were wounded in the devastating Easter bombings that struck Sri Lanka.
The full letter is below.
