🎊The quiet, snow-dusted town of Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia’s remote northeast was shattered on February 10, 2026, when an 18-year-old former student unleashed a horrifying rampage that left eight people dead and dozens wounded—one of the deadliest school shootings in Canadian history.
The suspect, identified by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) as Jesse Van Rootselaar, a transgender woman who was born male and began transitioning approximately six years ago, first turned her guns on her own family before storming Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where she had once been a pupil.
In a chilling sequence of events, Van Rootselaar allegedly shot dead her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old half-brother at their family home. Armed with a long-barreled rifle and a modified handgun, she then drove to the school—home to just around 160 students—and opened fire, killing a 39-year-old female education assistant and five young children: three 12-year-old girls and two boys aged 12 and 13.
The peaceful mountain community, nestled amid vast forests and rolling hills with a population of only about 2,400, was plunged into unimaginable grief. Parents who had kissed their children goodbye that morning would never see them alive again. Survivors described scenes of terror as gunfire echoed through hallways, with students hiding under desks and teachers desperately trying to protect them.
Van Rootselaar, who had dropped out of the same school four years earlier, ultimately turned the gun on herself, ending the bloodshed. Two victims remain in critical condition in hospital, fighting for their lives.
RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald revealed shocking details about the suspect’s troubled past. Van Rootselaar had a documented history of mental health crises, with police making multiple visits to the family home over concerns about self-harm and psychological issues. She had even been involuntarily detained several times under Canada’s Mental Health Act for evaluation.
Adding to the unease, authorities confirmed that Van Rootselaar once held a valid firearms license—though it expired in 2024. Police had seized weapons from the home around two years prior due to safety fears, only to return them after a successful appeal.
The motive remains a mystery, with investigators stressing there is no evidence the killer targeted specific individuals. Early reports of online activity suggest struggles with mental health, substance issues, and an interest in weapons and violent content—but officials caution against speculation as the probe continues.
In the aftermath, Canada—a nation where mass shootings are mercifully rare thanks to strict gun laws—was left reeling. This tragedy ranks as the country’s deadliest school-related attack since the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre and the worst mass shooting overall since the 2020 Nova Scotia rampage that claimed 22 lives.
Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered an emotional address to Parliament, his voice breaking as he spoke of the heartbreak.
“Yesterday, parents in Tumbler Ridge sent their children to school, never imagining some would never return. These innocent children and their dedicated teacher faced unimaginable horror. Canada stands with you—we mourn together,” he said, visibly moved.
Carney canceled international travel, ordered flags at half-mast nationwide for seven days, and promised full support for the grieving community.
King Charles III, Canada’s head of state, expressed profound shock and sorrow, noting the tight-knit nature of such a small town where “every name is known, and every family is a neighbor.”
Schools across the region shut down for the week to allow counseling and healing. Vigils sprang up with candles, teddy bears, flowers, and photos of the lost children—poignant reminders of young lives cut tragically short.
As the nation grapples with this unthinkable violence, questions swirl: How did someone with such a clear history of mental health interventions access firearms? What warning signs were missed? And how can Canada prevent the next nightmare in a country that prides itself on safety?
For now, in Tumbler Ridge, the pain is raw. A community forever changed buries its dead, clings to survivors, and searches for answers amid the ruins of innocence.