Canada is mourning after a deadly mass shooting at a secondary school in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, left nine people dead, including the suspected gunwoman. The attack is one of the deadliest school shootings in the country’s history.
The shooting happened on Tuesday at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, a school with about 175 students from Grade 7 to Grade 12. Police say officers responded quickly after receiving reports of an active shooter inside the school.
When officers entered the building, they found six people dead: a 39-year-old female teacher and five students — three 12-year-old girls and two boys aged 12 and 13. The suspected shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, was also found at the scene with what police believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
As investigations continued, police discovered two more bodies at a home linked to the suspect. The victims were identified as the suspect’s mother and stepbrother. Authorities said the suspect allegedly killed them before going to the school.
In total, nine people died, including the shooter. About 25 others were injured and taken to a nearby medical center for treatment. Prime Minister Mark Carney told Parliament that some of the injured were still in hospital and “fighting for their lives.”
The Suspect
Police identified the suspect as Jesse Van Rootselaar, a local resident who had dropped out of school four years ago. Authorities said she had a history of mental health challenges and had been visited by police several times in the past.
Under Canada’s Mental Health Act, she had previously been taken to hospital for assessment. Police also confirmed that firearms had been seized from her home some years ago but were later returned to the legal owner after a petition.
Officials said Van Rootselaar once held a firearms license, which expired in 2024, and no guns were registered in her name at the time of the attack. No suicide note has been found so far.
The Community
Tumbler Ridge is a remote mining town located about 1,170 kilometers north of Vancouver, with a population of around 2,700 people. Many residents work in mining, quarrying, and energy industries.
Images from the scene showed students leaving the school with their hands raised as heavily armed police secured the area. Both the school and the suspect’s home remained under lockdown as investigators carried out searches.
Prime Minister Carney urged the public to allow law enforcement time to complete their investigations. “The investigation is ongoing, and we must allow law enforcement the time and space to do their work,” he said.
Gun Violence in Canada
Mass shootings are less common in Canada than in the United States, but gun-related violence has been rising in recent years. Official statistics show that in 2023, Canada recorded 36.9 firearm-related violent crimes per 100,000 people — a 22 percent increase compared to 2018 and a 55 percent rise since 2013.
Canada has experienced other tragic mass shootings in the past. In 1989, a gunman killed 14 women at a school in Montreal before taking his own life. In 2020, a man disguised as a police officer killed 22 people in Nova Scotia during a shooting and arson attack.
As the people of Tumbler Ridge hold vigils and mourn the victims, the country once again faces difficult questions about gun control, mental health support, and school safety.
