An 18-year-old suspect has been identified in a deadly shooting rampage that claimed eight lives and left dozens injured in the small Canadian community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.
Police say Jesse Van Rootselaar was found dead at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School from a self-inflicted gunshot wound shortly after the attack. The motive remains under investigation.
According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), six people were killed at the school, including a 39-year-old educator, three 12-year-old girls and two boys aged 12 and 13. At least 25 others were injured, with two victims airlifted to hospital where they remain under treatment.
Earlier, officers discovered two additional bodies at a nearby home the suspect’s mother, 39, and an 11-year-old stepbrother in what police believe was the first scene of the violence before the suspect moved to the school.
Authorities said they do not believe there were any other suspects involved.
Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald said police responded within two minutes of receiving reports of an active shooter around 13:30 local time on Tuesday. Officers entered the school while gunfire was still being heard and located the suspect moments later.
Two firearms a long gun and a modified handgun were recovered at the scene. Investigators are still determining how each weapon was used.
Police confirmed the suspect had previously held a valid firearms licence that had since expired and had dropped out of the school four years ago. Officers had also attended the family home several times in recent years, some calls linked to mental health concerns.
British Columbia Premier David Eby said authorities are working with public health services to better understand any previous interactions with the suspect.
The tragedy has shaken the close-knit town of about 2,400 residents, where the secondary school serves just 160 students.
Hundreds of mourners gathered on Wednesday night in Tumbler Ridge’s main square and outside the provincial legislature in Victoria to hold vigils, share messages of support and honour the victims.
“Schools should be safe,” one attendee said, as flowers and photographs were placed beneath a tree.
Prime Minister Mark Carney described the attack as an act of “unheard-of cruelty,” noting that some victims remain in hospital “fighting for their lives.”
Mayor Darryl Krakowka, visibly emotional, urged residents to support one another. “Lend your ear when someone needs it. Lend your shoulder. Give somebody a hug,” he said.
As investigations continue, the community is left grappling with grief and disbelief a reminder of how even the smallest towns can be scarred by sudden violence.