Canadian Town Reeling After School Shooting Leaves 10 Dead
A quiet mountain town in northeastern British Columbia is in shock after a mass shooting at its only high school left 10 people dead, including the suspected gunwoman.
Police were called to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School at around 1:20 p.m. on February 10th after a lockdown was triggered. Seven people, including the suspect, were found dead inside the school, and another victim died on the way to hospital.At least two people were airlifted to hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries. Around 25 others were treated for less serious injuries at a local medical centre. Two more bodies were later discovered at a nearby home and are believed to be connected to the attack.
The suspect was described in an emergency alert as a female with brown hair wearing a dress. Police say she was found dead with what appears to be a self-inflicted injury. Authorities say they have identified the individual but have not released her name. Investigators say that there is no ongoing threat to the public.
RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd said that the motive remains unclear. "We are not in a place to understand why or what may have motivated this tragedy," he said.
Tumbler Ridge is home to about 2,400 people and sits in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, more than 1,000 kilometres north of Vancouver. The secondary school has roughly 160 students in Grades 7 to 12 and is known for its tight-knit atmosphere.
The mayor of Tumbler Ridge, Darryl Krakowka, said the loss is deeply personal in a community this small. "I don't call them residents. I call them family." He said that he will almost definitely know every victim and admitted that he broke down when he learned how many had died.
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney has also responded to the shooting, saying that he was “devastated” by the attack and cancelled a planned trip to Germany for the Munich Security Conference. "I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens," he wrote.
British Columbia Premier David Eby called it an "unimaginable tragedy" and urged people across the province to support the grieving town. "I know it's causing us all to hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight," he said.
Police have not yet released the names or ages of the victims, saying families are being notified first. The investigation has been taken over by the RCMP’s Major Crimes Unit. Schools in Tumbler Ridge will remain closed for the rest of the week, with counselling and support services being arranged for students, staff and families.
Mass shootings are uncommon in Canada, which has stricter gun laws than the United States, including a ban on assault-style weapons. The last school shooting of similar scale in Canada was the 1989 attack at Montréal’s École Polytechnique, where 14 women were killed.
