A recent mass shooting in a quiet Canadian town has left nine people, including the suspected attacker, dead, sending shockwaves across a nation where such intense violence is exceptionally rare.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered an emotional statement to reporters on Wednesday, visibly struggling to hold back tears. “This morning, parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love,” he expressed. “The nation mourns with you, Canada stands by you.” In response to the tragedy, Mr. Carney postponed his travel plans for the Munich Security Conference in Germany, scheduled to begin on Friday.
This report compiles what we know about the attack and how Canadian authorities have previously responded to similar mass shootings.
Tragic Toll: How many lives were lost?
According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (R.C.M.P.), seven individuals, including the suspected shooter—an 18-year-old woman believed to have died from a self-inflicted injury—were discovered deceased at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Dwayne McDonald, a deputy commissioner with the R.C.M.P. in British Columbia, confirmed that most of the school victims were 12 or 13-year-old students killed in their school library. Police clarified that the total death toll, including the shooter, was nine, correcting an earlier count of ten.
Before the school attack, the shooter also tragically killed her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at home.
Two female students sustained injuries and were airlifted to a hospital, where they remained in serious but stable condition on Wednesday. Mr. McDonald did not provide specific details about their injuries.
The initial report of 25 injured students on Tuesday referred to those taken to a local medical center for assessment. These students did not have physical injuries but were triaged due to their distressed appearance, including the presence of blood, likely from the chaotic environment, Mr. McDonald explained.
“You can imagine in a chaotic situation where the students and faculty are barricading themselves in rooms that many types of injuries could result,” Mr. McDonald commented.
Who were the shooter and the victims?
During the harrowing attack, students and teachers bravely hid for hours inside the school, seeking safety.
The suspect, identified as Jesse Van Rootselaar, and her family were known to authorities. Mr. McDonald revealed that police had visited the family’s home multiple times over the past few years regarding mental health concerns, including instances of self-harm. He noted that Ms. Van Rootselaar was biologically male and began transitioning to female six years prior, and police would continue to refer to her as female. Authorities are still investigating the motive behind the rampage, which stands as one of the deadliest in Canadian history.
Police responding to the scene while the shooting was still active recovered a long gun and a modified handgun. Mr. McDonald also mentioned that firearms had been seized from the residence on a previous occasion due to mental health issues concerning the suspect.
Ms. Van Rootselaar had reportedly left school approximately four years ago.
A National Rarity: How does this tragedy compare to other mass shootings in Canada?
The Tumbler Ridge attack marks the fourth deadliest mass shooting in Canada’s history. In 2020, Gabriel Wortman was responsible for killing 22 people in Nova Scotia, the country’s easternmost province.
Prior to that, in 1996, Mark Vijay Chahal murdered his ex-wife and eight of her relatives in Vernon, British Columbia, before taking his own life.
And in 1989, Marc Lépine tragically shot 14 women to death in a misogynistic assault on an engineering class at a university in Montreal, Quebec.
Official Response: How have authorities reacted to past attacks?
Following the 2020 massacre, the federal government introduced a comprehensive plan to reform gun laws. These measures included a ban on 1,500 types of assault-style weapons, later expanded to cover other firearms, and a national freeze on handgun sales.
The government also initiated a gun buyback program, which has faced significant controversy and logistical challenges in its implementation. Critics and opposition politicians argue that these measures unfairly penalize law-abiding gun owners and will not effectively enhance safety. Several provinces have also expressed their reluctance to participate in the program.
Official data indicates approximately 1.3 million registered firearms are currently in Canada.
Tumbler Ridge: A town in shock.
Tumbler Ridge, a tight-knit community of about 2,400 residents, is situated approximately 730 miles northeast of Vancouver, nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains near the Alberta border. Originally a coal-mining hub, the town has since rebranded itself as a destination for outdoor tourism. The recent shooting has profoundly shaken the entire community.
An interactive map is available, illustrating the location of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, relative to other major cities.
“I will know every victim,” Mayor Darryl Krakowka told Canada’s public broadcaster, the CBC, after seeking shelter in the town hall. “We’re a small community. I don’t call them residents. I call them family.”