What we know so far about the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting

Nine people were killed in a horrific mass shooting on Tuesday, 10 February 2026, in the remote town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. The attack, which targeted both a family home and the local high school, is one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canadian history.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) originally reported ten fatalities, but later revised the number to nine after confirming that one victim, initially thought to have died, had survived but remains in critical condition.

🏛️ The Timeline of the Attack

The violence began early Tuesday afternoon at a residence on Fellers Avenue before moving to the local school:

1:15 p.m. (approx): The shooter killed two family members at their home.
1:20 p.m.: Police received the first reports of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
1:22 p.m.: Officers arrived on the scene within two minutes and were reportedly fired upon as they approached the building.
Lockdown: Students inside the school barricaded themselves in classrooms and the library using tables and desks for over two hours.
2:15 p.m.: A "shelter-in-place" alert was sent to all local residents' phones.

🕯️ The Victims

The nine deceased include the perpetrator and eight victims. The RCMP confirmed that the shooter acted alone and that the victims at the school appeared to be targeted at random.

👤 The Suspect

The RCMP identified the shooter as Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, a former student of the school and a resident of Tumbler Ridge.

Status: She was found dead inside the school library from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Identity: Police confirmed Van Rootselaar was a trans woman who had transitioned approximately six years ago and was well-known in the small community.
History: Authorities noted a history of "mental health-related calls" to the family home, some involving weapons.
Weapons: A long gun and a modified handgun were recovered from the scene. No motive or "manifesto" has been found.

🇨🇦 National Reaction

Prime Minister Mark Carney, who cancelled a planned trip to Germany to address the nation, described the event as a "senseless and unimaginable tragedy." He has ordered flags on all federal buildings to be flown at half-mast for seven days.

Tumbler Ridge, a tight-knit town of 2,400, held a candlelit vigil on Wednesday evening. Mayor Darryl Krakowka, who has lived in the town for 19 years, stated, "I don't call them residents, I call them family," noting that almost everyone in town personally knew at least one of the victims.