Photo: Castanet Staff

It's been almost 19 years since the Gakhal and Saran family murders rocked Vernon.

And, this year, the family would prefer to mark the anniversary on its own.

On April 5, 1996, nine members of the two families were slain in one of the worst mass murders in Canadian history. 

In years past, the Gakhal family, in collaboration with community service agencies in Vernon, helped organize a public vigil to commemorate the loss and highlight the issue of domestic violence. 

This year, a vigil will not be held, as the family will be remembering their loss in private, a media release from the Vernon Women’s Transition House Society states.

"The family would appreciate that the media respect their privacy at this time," said spokesperson Brooke McLardy.

Mark Chahal shot his estranged wife, Rajwar Kaur Gakhal, and eight family members at their home on Okanagan Avenue, in Vernon's Mission Hill neighbourhood.

Chahal had previously threatened his estranged wife, and though Gakhal had gone to police for assistance several times, his gun permits were approved because he had no criminal record.