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Eight Dead in British Columbia School Shooting
An 18-year-old suspect fatally shot eight people, including family members and six victims at a British Columbia secondary school, before dying by suicide, authorities said.
A grab from a video shows students exiting the Tumbler Ridge school after Tuesday's deadly shooting in British Columbia, Canada.
An 18-year-old has been identified as the suspect in a shooting that left eight people dead and dozens injured in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, authorities said.
Police said Jesse Van Rootselaar was found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The motive for the attack remains unknown. Six people were killed and at least 25 others were injured at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Two additional victims the suspect’s 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old brother were found dead at a nearby home.
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Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) deputy commissioner Dwayne McDonald said the shooting at the home occurred first, after which the suspect went to the school. Authorities do not believe any other suspects were involved.
The victims at the school included a 39-year-old female educator, three 12-year-old female students, and two male students aged 12 and 13. Two victims were transported by air ambulance to hospital and remain hospitalized.
Around 13:30 local time (20:30 GMT) on Tuesday, police received reports of an active shooter at the school. Officers arrived within two minutes, heard gunfire and entered the building, McDonald said. Within minutes, they located the suspect, who was deceased from what police described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Investigators recovered two firearms at the scene a long gun and a modified handgun though McDonald said it remains unclear what role each weapon played in the attack.
Police said Van Rootselaar had previously held a valid gun license, which had since lapsed. Authorities also confirmed that the suspect had dropped out of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School four years ago and had been known to police. Officers had attended the family home on multiple occasions in recent years, with some calls related to mental health concerns.
Authorities said Van Rootselaar was born biologically male and had begun transitioning to female approximately six years ago. “I can say that Jesse was born as a biological male who approximately six years ago began to transition to female,” McDonald said.
British Columbia Premier David Eby said officials have begun reaching out to the public health care system to understand any prior interactions involving the suspect. “We’ve begun the process of reaching out to understand what interactions may have taken place,” Eby told a news conference outside Tumbler Ridge town hall late Wednesday.
Hundreds of mourners gathered Wednesday night in Tumbler Ridge’s main square and outside the British Columbia legislature in Victoria to honor the victims. “Schools should be safe,” vigil attendee Gigi Rejano said, according to AFP, as others laid photos of victims near a tree.
In Victoria, legislature Speaker Raj Chouhan said, “We can only pray together, hold hands together and send our love to all those people,” according to a local journalist.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said students and teachers “bore witness to unheard-of cruelty” during the shooting and noted that some victims remain in hospital “fighting for their lives.”
Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka described the community of approximately 2,400 residents as “one big family.” Speaking emotionally to reporters, he urged residents to support one another. “Lend your ear when someone needs your ear,” he said. “Lend your shoulder when someone needs your shoulder. Give somebody a hug.”
Tumbler Ridge Secondary School serves about 160 students in Grades 7 through 12. The investigation into the shootings is ongoing.
Editor’s Note:
This article is based on statements from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, British Columbia officials, and public remarks from community leaders and federal authorities. Details reflect information available at the time of publication and may be updated as the investigation continues.
