A massacre at a secondary school in western Canada has left 9 people dead and 27 others injured. The shooting unfolded in the small community of Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia on Tuesday afternoon. Authorities say the incident, which also involved killings at a nearby home, is among the most tragic acts of violence the province has experienced in recent years.
Police reported receiving emergency calls about an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School shortly after 1:20 p.m. MST. Officers responded and entered the building, where they discovered several victims as well as the suspected shooter, who had died from what investigators believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The suspect was later identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, a man who is a transgender woman. Officials said the individual had previously attended the school but dropped out about 4 years ago. Police also confirmed they had responded to the suspect’s home in past years for mental-health-related concerns.
Police confirmed that six other bodies, one teacher and five students, were inside the school. Police identified those victims as a 39-year-old woman, three 12-year-old female students, one 12-year-old male student, and another 13-year-old schoolboy. Five of the bodies were discovered in the school library, and the sixth body was found in a stairwell.
Another victim who had been shot died while being transported to the hospital. Authorities later connected the school shooting to a separate scene at a residence in the town, where two additional victims were discovered. The home was confirmed to be Rootselaar’s house, and the bodies were identified as her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old sibling.
Police said the suspect began the mass shooting at the house and then continued at the school. As for the injuries, a total of 27 people were wounded. Among the dozens, two individuals were reported to be in serious condition.
Investigators said officers recovered two firearms at the school, a long gun and a modified handgun. Neither weapon was registered to the suspect, and police confirmed the suspect’s firearms licence had expired in 2024. Authorities have not determined a motive and found no note explaining the attack.
In response to the incident, local officials described the emotional toll as overwhelming. “There are no words sufficient for the heartbreak our community is experiencing tonight,” the municipality said in a public statement.
Leaders across Canada also responded to the tragedy. Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “devastated” by what had happened. British Columbia Premier David Eby called the incident “unimaginable”, while the province’s public safety minister, Nina Krieger, described it as one of the worst mass shootings in Canadian history.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) say the investigation is continuing. Officers are examining additional properties in the community to determine whether they are connected to the events.
As the town of Tumbler Ridge begins to process the loss, officials say the focus remains on supporting victims, families, and the wider community in the days ahead.