Nine Dead in Tumbler Ridge Shooting, Including Suspect; Motive Under Investigation
A shooting incident in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, resulted in nine fatalities, including the 18-year-old suspect, Jesse Van Rootselaar, and multiple injuries. The tragic events unfolded at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a private residence. Authorities reported that Van Rootselaar died from a self-inflicted injury after killing two family members at home and six individuals at the school.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) stated there is no ongoing threat to public safety, and an investigation into the motive is underway.
Incident Overview
Police responded to reports of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School at approximately 1:20 PM local time on Tuesday. Officers entered the school and located multiple victims. The suspect, later identified as Jesse Van Rootselaar, was found deceased from what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury. RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald stated that officers engaged the suspect, and no additional injuries to students occurred after police intervention.
The incident encompassed two primary locations. Six individuals were found deceased inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Authorities later located two additional deceased individuals at a residence believed to be connected to Van Rootselaar. An emergency alert advising residents to shelter in place was terminated at 5:45 PM local time.
Approximately 25 individuals were assessed for non-life-threatening injuries at a local medical center. Two victims were airlifted to hospitals with serious or life-threatening injuries. All remaining school staff and students, estimated at 100 people, were safely evacuated, and police coordinated family reunification efforts.
Victims Identified
Nine individuals, including the suspect, died as a result of the shootings.
Fatalities at the residence:
- Jennifer Jacobs, 39 (suspect's mother)
- Emmett Jacobs, 11 (suspect's stepbrother)
Fatalities at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School:
- Shannda Aviugana-Durand, 39 (assistant teacher)
- Kylie Smith, 12 (student)
- Abel Mwansa, 12 (student)
- Zoey Benoit, 12 (student)
- Ticaria Lampert, 12 (student)
- Ezekiel Schofield, 13 (student)
Injured individuals:
- Maya Gebala, 12, sustained wounds to the head and neck and is hospitalized in Vancouver.
- Paige Hoekstra, 19, sustained bullet wounds and is hospitalized in Vancouver.
The Suspect and Investigation
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police identified the suspect as Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18 years old. Van Rootselaar was identified as male at birth but began identifying as female six years prior. Police reported that Van Rootselaar first killed her mother and stepbrother at their family home before proceeding to the school. Four firearms were recovered, with two found at the residence and two at the school.
The motive for the shootings remains under investigation. Deputy Commissioner McDonald stated that the suspect did not appear to be targeting specific individuals at the school.
Analysis of Van Rootselaar's online activity by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) indicated an interest in firearms, mass violence, and violent online content.
Posts also revealed struggles with substance use and mental health. Police had previously responded to mental health calls at Van Rootselaar's family residence, and Van Rootselaar had been apprehended under British Columbia's Mental Health Act on different occasions. Online investigators also linked an account believed to be Van Rootselaar's to a mass shooting simulation game on Roblox, which Roblox subsequently removed.
Official and Community Responses
British Columbia Premier David Eby extended condolences and stated the government would provide support to community members. British Columbia’s Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Nina Krieger, pledged full resources for the investigation and community support. RCMP North District Chief Superintendent Ken Floyd acknowledged the cooperation from the school and first responders.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered flags on all government buildings to be flown at half-mast for seven days and attended a vigil in Tumbler Ridge with Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre. Premier Eby stated that students would not be required to return to the school building and promised alternative arrangements.
Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School will remain closed for the remainder of the week. Tumbler Ridge is a community with a population of approximately 2,400 to 2,700 residents, located over 1,000 kilometers north of Vancouver.
Context in Canada
School shootings are uncommon in Canada. This event is among the country's deadliest shootings since a 2020 incident in Nova Scotia that resulted in 22 deaths. It marks Canada's deadliest school shooting since 1989.
Canada maintains more restrictive gun control legislation compared to the United States. Data indicates a firearm ratio of 35 guns per 100 residents in Canada, contrasted with 121 firearms per 100 residents in the U.S. Canada has implemented gun control measures, including an expanded ban on assault weapons and a freeze on handgun sales and purchases in 2022, in response to previous mass shootings.