A shooting at a high school followed by a related incident at a nearby home left at least nine people dead and dozens injured Tuesday afternoon in Tumbler Ridge, a small community in northeastern British Columbia, according to Canadian authorities.
Police on Wednesday afternoon identified the suspected shooter as 18-year-old Jesse van Rootselaar, according to CBC and The New York Times. Rootselaar is believed to have killed her mother and stepbrother at a home in Tumbler Ridge on Tuesday, Feb. 10, before traveling to the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and killing six others. Rootselaar then died by suicide at the school as first responders arrived at the scene At least 25 other people were injured in the shooting, per authorities.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police reported that officers were dispatched to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School around 1:20 p.m. local time after receiving reports of an active shooter. Inside the school, responders found six victims dead. A seventh person later died while being transported to a hospital. Two additional victims were airlifted for treatment of serious or life-threatening injuries, while roughly 25 others were treated locally for less severe wounds. Investigators later confirmed a second scene at a residence believed to be connected to the school attack, where two more people were found dead. Details about how those victims were injured have not yet been released.
RCMP North District Commander Chief Superintendent Ken Floyd told reporters at a news conference that investigators are still working to determine a motive and understand how the victims were connected to the suspect. Floyd said, according to a clip shared by CTV News, “I think we will struggle to determine the why, but we’re going to try and do our best to determine what transpired that day and what led up to this tragic event in Tumbler Ridge and across our communities.”
The Peace River South School District initially placed both the secondary school and a nearby elementary school under a “lockdown and secure and hold” before announcing that both campuses would remain closed for the rest of the week. Tumbler Ridge Secondary School serves about 175 students in grades 7 through 12. Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darry Krakowka described the town of roughly 2,700 residents as “one big family” where “everybody knows everybody,” noting that the community is struggling to process the scale of the loss.
Prime Minister Mark Carney canceled planned travel to Halifax and Europe, saying in a statement, “I am devastated by today’s horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C.” He added, “My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence.” In a separate message, he told residents that “the nation mourns with you.”
British Columbia Premier David Eby said the province would provide ongoing support to the community. “Our hearts are in Tumbler Ridge tonight with the families of those who have lost loved ones. Government will ensure every possible support for community members in the coming days, as we all try to come to terms with this unimaginable tragedy.” Speaking later, Eby reflected on the broader impact, saying, “It’s hard to know what to say on a night like tonight,” and noted that tragedies like this force families to think about children’s safety at school.
Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger called the attack “one of the worst mass shootings in the province’s and country’s history,” praising first responders who arrived within minutes. Eby echoed that sentiment, crediting their rapid action with preventing even greater loss of life.
Mass shootings remain uncommon in Canada, particularly at schools. The country’s deadliest mass shooting occurred in 2020, when 22 people were killed during a rampage in Nova Scotia, an event that later prompted a federal ban on assault-style weapons.
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