How common are shootings like these in Canada?
Mass shootings in Canada are rare, particularly compared with the neighbouring United States. Analysts have long pointed to Canada’s stricter gun laws, which make it difficult to own handguns or “assault-style weapons”, to explain the difference.
Yesterday’s attack is the second deadliest school shooting in Canadian history, behind a 1989 tragedy that saw a 25-year-old man claiming to be “anti-feminist” burst into a Montreal school. He killed 13 female students and a secretary before taking his own life.
The country’s deadliest shooting took place in 2020, when a man disguised as a police officer went on a shooting and arson rampage in the eastern province of Nova Scotia, killing 22 people.
The government later banned 1,500 models of assault weapons in response to the attack.
The area around Tumbler Ridge secondary school remains cordoned off 24 hours later, as the police investigation into one of Canada’s deadliest mass shootings continues.
Here is our story from my colleagues Leyland Cecco in Toronto and Oliver Holmes:
What we learned from the police briefing on the Tumbler Ridge shootings
Deputy commissioner Dwayne McDonald confirmed that police have identified the suspect as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who was a resident of Tumbler Ridge.
Police revised the death toll down to nine people, including the suspect, after a female victim with significant injuries survived (she remains in critical condition).
A 39-year-old found deceased at the suspect’s family residence was the mother of the suspect, and the 11-year-old victim was the suspect’s step-brother.
The deaths at the private residence occurred first before the suspect went to the high school.
Police were called to the home after they had been called to the school, by a female youth who is related to the suspect and victims.
Those killed at the school were a 39-year-old teacher, three 12-year-old female students and two male students aged 12 and 13. One victim was found in the stairwell, and the others were located in the school’s library.
Two firearms were recovered at the scene – a long gun and a modified handgun. Police are still working to determine their origins and role in the incident.
The suspect had a firearms license that had expired in 2024 and did not currently have any firearms registered to her.
The suspect had dropped out of Tumbler Ridge secondary school about four years ago and was not currently a student there.
There is no information at this point to suggest that any of the victims in the school were specifically targeted.
Police had attended the suspect’s family residence on multiple occasions over the past several years, dealing with mental health concerns of the suspect.
This included one police attendance to the home approximately two years ago where firearms were seized under the criminal code. The lawful owner of those firearms petitioned for them to be returned, and they were.
The suspect was born as a biological male who had started transitioning about six years ago and identified in public and on social media as female.
The suspect is believed to have acted alone.
Police don’t yet have an idea as to what the suspect’s motive was.
Updated
McDonald clarifies that those found dead at the school were a female teacher, 39, three girls, all 12, and two boys – one 12 and one 13.
The victims found at the family home were a 39-year-old woman believed to be the suspect’s mother and an 11-year-old boy believed to be the suspect’s step-brother.
And that concludes the police briefing.
McDonald says the student victims were “quite young”, with most born in 2012 and 2013, which would make their ages between 12 or 14.
Police were still notifying their families, he says.
He adds that there is no information at this point to suggest that any of the victims in the school were specifically targeted.
The majority of those who were injured did not sustain gunshot wounds, he says.
Updated
McDonald also clarifies that police did not get to the suspect’s home until about 2.45pm on Tuesday.
A young female relative at the home went to a neighbour’s house and the neighbour called police, he says.
The deaths at the home occurred first, before the suspect went to the high school, he adds.
Updated
Asked where in the school the victims were killed, McDonald says that one victim was found dead in the stairwell, and the others were located in the school’s library.
McDonald says they “don’t have an idea yet” as to what the suspect’s motive was, and it is too early to speculate.
McDonald says that the suspect had dropped out of Tumbler Ridge secondary school about four years ago and was not a current student.
Suspect did not have any firearms registered to her, police say
Asked when police were last in contact with the suspect, McDonald says it was some time last year, and confirms that they were not in contact with her in the last few days.
Asked if the suspect had a gun licence, the deputy commissioner says:
I believe she had a licence which had expired in 2024, she did not have any firearms registered to her.
Updated
Suspect identified as female 'socially and publicly', police confirm
Asked why the police haven’t identified the suspect as being transgender, McDonald says police have identified the suspect as “they chose to be identified in public and in social media”.
I can say that Jesse was born as a biological male who approximately six years ago began to transition to female and identified as female, both socially and publicly.
McDonald is asked for more detail about police visits to the suspect’s family home.
He says police had attended the residence on multiple occasions over the past several years, dealing with mental health concerns of the suspect.
The suspect was apprehended on different occasions for assessment and follow-up under the Mental Health Act, he says.
Asked if any of the interactions the suspect had with police had anything to do with weapons, McDonald replies “yes”.
The deputy commissioner says police have attended the residence in the past, approximately two years ago, where “firearms were seized under the criminal code”.
He adds that the lawful owner of those firearms petitioned for them to be returned, and they were.
Two people found dead at local residence were suspect's mother and step-brother, police confirm
McDonald confirms that the two victims who were found at a local residence were related to the suspect and it was the address where the suspect lived.
The adult female victim is the suspect’s mother, he says, and the male youth is the suspect’s step-brother.
Updated
Taking questions from reporters, McDonald is asked to expand on what they know about the suspect.
He says that the suspect identified as an 18-year-old female, by the name of Jesse.
There is a history of police attendance at the suspect’s family residence, he says, with some calls related to mental health issues.
Police believe suspect acted alone
Regarding speculation around the relationship between the shooter and the victims, McDonald says police are not in a position to publicly confirm any specifics at this time.
Additional resources have been deployed to the area, he says, adding that there are currently no other outstanding suspects as the suspect is believed to have acted alone.
Updated
Victims include five students and one adult female educator, police confirm
McDonald clarifies that nine people in total are deceased as a result of this incident.
Initially, it was believed that one of the victims, who had significant injuries and was one of the two airlifted to hospital, had succumbed to her injuries. Police have since confirmed that she is alive, McDonald says.
Both of those victims that were airlifted to hospital remain in serious condition, he says.
“The deceased victims from the school include an adult female educator, three female students and two male students between the ages of 13 and 17,” McDonald confirms.
“Two additional victims – an adult female and a male youth – were located deceased in a local residence,” he says.
Updated
Two firearms recovered on scene, police say
Two firearms – a long gun and a modified handgun – were found on the scene, McDonald says.
They have yet to determine the origin of these firearms and the role these played in the shootings, he adds.
Multiple victims were located throughout the school, along with approximately 25 individuals with possible injuries, he says.
More than 100 students and faculty were evacuated once it was deemed safe, he says.
Those with potential injuries were transported to triage, he says.
Two victims with significant injuries were taken to hospital by air ambulance, he adds.
Updated
Police name suspect in Tumbler Ridge school shooting
The suspect has been identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who McDonald says is a resident of Tumbler Ridge.
Updated
McDonald starts by reviewing the incident.
At around 1.30pm local time, the RCMP received a report of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge secondary school.
Police from Tumbler Ridge, RCMP and surrounding detachments responded immediately, with officers arriving within two minutes.
They heard active gunfire and entered the school, he says.
Within minutes, they located the shooter, who was deceased from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound, he says.
Updated
We’re switching over now to a police briefing from deputy commissioner Dwayne McDonald of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, who started speaking to reporters just now. It marks the first police update on the shooting since this morning.
Opposition leader Pierre Poilievre speaks next.
He says that as fathers, he and Carney know the feeling of sending children off to school to learn and play, and seeing them come home at night. He goes on:
Yesterday, as we were tucking our kids in, I got a terrible phone call.
Children, who should have been thinking about homework or hockey, were instead thrown into terror, grief and unbearable uncertainty.
Poilievre says there is now an “entire community in grief”.
That community is the best of Canada. A community of loggers and miners, hardworking people, hardy, strong, the kind of people who fight their own battles but never hesitate to help a neighbour in need. They are the backbone of this nation.
He goes on:
No parent should have to fear that their child may not return home from school. No parent should ever bury their own child.
'All of Canada stands with you,' PM tells Tumbler Ridge in address to parliament
“We have been here before,” Carney says, referencing the L’École Polytechnique massacre, the mass shooting in Nova Scotia in 2020, the Quebec City mosque shooting in 2017, the Humboldt bus crash that killed 16 people in 2018 and the La Loche shooting in Saskatchewan in 2016.
Each time it breaks us open, each time it shows us who we are.
In the days ahead, there will be “important questions” and “difficult conversations” to have, Carney says, adding: “We owe that to the victims and their families”.
But now it’s time for grieving and remembrance, he says.
“To those families who have lost loved ones, this House mourns with you,” the PM says. “To those who are recovering from injuries, this House prays for you. To the students, the teachers, the parents, every resident of Tumbler Ridge – all of Canada stands with you.”
He goes on:
May the memories of those lost be a blessing. May this community – which has shown its resilience so many times before – once again find the strength to heal.
And may this House prove worthy of what Tumbler Ridge has always been by striving to make Canada a better, kinder and safer place.
Updated
The community, Carney says, is enduring the unimaginable and Canada will never be able to fully reconcile itself with the senseless violence that tore apart of Tumbler Ridge yesterday”.
But we can seek comfort in each other, he adds.
Carney says that tragedies show “us who we are” as he praises the community of Tumbler Ridge for being an example of Canadian pride and resilience.
As this House knows, Tumbler Ridge is a community of some 2,400 people nestled in the foothills of the Rockies. It is one of the youngest towns in the great province of British Columbia, carved out of the wilderness in the 1980s, built on the promise of the resource economy and by the determination of its residents.
It’s a town of miners, teachers, construction workers, families who have built their lives there, people who have always shown up for each other there.
When the wildfires raged, people helped each other pack up and move out of harm’s way. They checked in on seniors and those living alone. They made sure that no one was left behind.
Updated
Carney says that today people woke “to a different world”. For the families and friends of victims, it’s “their first day on earth without someone they love dearly”, he says.
Some victims remain in hospital “fighting for their lives”. The investigation is ongoing and law enforcement need the time to do their work.
Parents sent their children to school one day, and will “never be able to hug their children again”, he says.
Children and teachers “bore witness to unheard of cruelty”, he goes on.
Our entire country stands with you.
On behalf of all Canadians, Carney offers prayers to the victims and those injured, and then expresses his “profound gratitude” to the first responders, healthcare staff, and teachers and school staff in Tumbler Ridge “who acted with extraordinary courage to protect the children in their care”.
In the darkest moments they showed the best of our country.
Updated
Carney to address Canadian parliament
Prime minister Mark Carney is due to address the Canadian parliament shortly. We’ll bring you all the key lines from his speech here.
Updated
The Serbian embassy in Canada posted its condolences online, writing: “The embassy of the Republic of Serbia in Canada extends its deepest condolences to the families mourning the loss of their loved ones in the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge. Our thoughts are with the people of Canada. Serbia stands with Canada, sharing your grief and sorrow.”
The people of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, an Indigenous community whose traditional territory has been subsumed by the city of Vancouver, issued a statement saying they stand in solidarity with the Tumbler Ridge community.
They said online: “We wish to provide our deepest condolences to the community of Tumbler Ridge after the horrific events of yesterday.
“Our hearts remain with Tumbler Ridge secondary school students, staff, family members, first responders, and the community as a whole. We are holding you in our hearts during this time of shock and grief.
“The Tsleil-Waututh Nation stands in solidarity with you all.”
Police are expected to brief the media on the school shooting at 11am PT/ 2pm ET/ 7pm GMT, reports Reuters, citing CBC.
Updated
The Republic of Korea’s consulate general in Vancouver expressed its condolences on social media, writing that it “expresses our profound shock and deepest sorrow regarding the devastating tragedy that occurred in Tumbler Ridge. Words cannot adequately convey the grief felt for the lives lost in such a horrific violence. Our hearts go out to the families of all the victims. We also extend our thoughts to the survivors, the first responders, and the students who have been forced to face an unimaginable trauma.”
Updated
The NHL’s Vancouver Canucks sent a message of “heartfelt condolences to the families and loved ones who lost someone dear” in the tragic shooting in Tumbler Ridge.
“While there are no words that can ease the pain or help fully process such a profound loss, please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of unimaginable grief and sorrow,” the team said in a post on X.
The players also sent their “love, strength and support to those who were injured or deeply affected by this heartbreaking tragedy”.
Updated
'We join the entire nation in grieving,' says governor general
Canada’s governor general, Mary Simon, said in a statement that she and her husband are “devastated” by the Tumbler Ridge shooting and sent her “deepest condolences to the families of the victims of this senseless violence, and to the entire community.”
Simon expressed gratitude to the first responders “who bravely risked their lives to protect and help their fellow Canadians, and who continue to support a community that is in crisis.”
“In this unimaginable moment of tragedy, the whole of Canada has Tumbler Ridge in its thoughts,” she said.
Tumbler Ridge will need all the support and love we can muster during this dark time.
Let us stay united in our compassion and reach out to one another with love and tenderness today, as we join the entire nation in grieving.
Updated
As he arrived at Canada’s parliament in Ottawa, opposition leader Pierre Poilievre told reporters:
The fact that this took place at a secondary school is even more tragic.
As a father I can’t have imagined the phone calls that parents might have received. I can’t imagine the heartache and hell that they are living through at this moment.
This is a time for all Canadians to unite.
He said he’ll be in touch with Mark Carney to offer all the support his party can to help the Tumbler Ridge community.
Green leader Elizabeth May also called the attack “unspeakable”. She told reporters:
It’s a terrible tragedy and we mourn those who’ve lost so much.
And interim New Democratic Party leader Don Davies said MPs across the political spectrum are “coming together in humanity and kindness”.
The British Columbia premier, David Eby, urged Canadians to rally around the tight-knit community of Tumbler Ridge on Tuesday after a shooting at a high school killed 10 people, including the suspect, and left several injured. British Columbia’s minister of public safety, Nina Krieger, said it was one of Canada’s deadliest mass casualty events in recent history.
Here’s the clip:
Updated
Building on that, per CBC News, the House of Commons won’t sit today. Instead at 2pm, Mark Carney will give a statement in the House before representatives from other parties deliver their own statements. After that, the House will adjourn for the day.
In the House of Commons this morning, PM Mark Carney and other parties will stand for a moment of silence before delivering statements about the tragic school shooting.
Canadian Olympic Committee 'heartbroken' by 'horrific' shooting
The Canadian Olympic Committee has issued a statement on the Tumbler Ridge school shooting, as Team Canada competes in the winter games in Milan Cortina.
We are heartbroken by the news of the horrific school shooting that occurred in British Columbia. Our thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones, those who are injured, and the entire Tumbler Ridge community. Team Canada stands with everyone affected as they navigate difficult days ahead.
Updated
'The nation mourns with you,' an emotional Carney tells victims' families
As he arrived at Parliament Hill in Ottawa a short while ago, Mark Carney was visibly emotional as he told reporters it was a “very difficult day” for Tumbler Ridge and for the nation.
Parents and grandparents, sisters and brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you. Canada stands by you.
The Canadian prime minister thanked world leaders who had reached out to him in solidarity and compassion, including King Charles, who is Canada’s head of state.
The world is with you.
The PM reiterated that the federal public safety minister and British Columbia’s premier will be visiting the community today. He thanked the emergency services, teachers, staff and residents of Tumbler Ridge for all they were doing.
Carney said he had instructed that flags across all government buildings will be flown at half-mast for the next seven days.
He went on:
We will get through this. But right now it is a time to come together, like Canadians do in these terrible situations. To support each other, to mourn together and to grow together.
You can view the clip here.
Updated
'We will get through this,' says Tumbler Ridge mayor
Tumbler Ridge’s mayor, Darryl Krakowka, just told CBC Radio’s The Early Edition that he has been “overwhelmed” by the level of condolences the community has received from other mayors, as well as national and international leaders.
His main priority, Krakowka said, is ensuring he can provide the support the community needs at this time. He described Tumbler Ridge “as one big family” and urged residents to offer a hug, a shoulder and support to others. Physicians and nurses from other communities would be coming in to support local healthcare workers and mental health counsellors were also on their way to support the students affected, he added.
I think that will help the families here. We will get through this.
Updated
We stand with all Canadians, say Prince and Princess of Wales
Britain’s Prince William and the Princess of Wales have echoed the king’s words in a statement posted on social media.
They said:
We stand with all Canadians following this morning’s appalling tragedy.
Our hearts are with the entire Tumbler Ridge community, and we extend our deepest condolences to the families and friends affected by this devastating loss.
We are so thankful for the courage shown by the students, staff, and emergency responders who acted with selflessness in the face of such violence.
Updated
King Charles: Shooting has cast 'appalling shadow' across Tumbler Ridge
King Charles, who serves as Canada’s head of state, has issued a statement in response to the shooting, saying it has cast an “appalling shadow” across Tumbler Ridge.
He said:
My wife and I were profoundly shocked and saddened to learn of the most dreadful attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. We can only express our deepest possible sympathy to the families who are grieving the unimaginable loss of their loved ones and those still awaiting news from hospital.
In a such a closely connected town, every child’s name will be known and every family will be a neighbour. We can only begin to imagine the appalling shadow that has now descended across Tumbler Ridge and our hearts go out to all those whose lives have been so shattered by this senseless act of brutal violence.
He thanked the emergency services in Tumbler Ridge “for their courage as first responders” and extended his gratitude to those across British Columbia “who have helped in every way”.
He added:
My wife and I stand in solidarity with the people of Tumbler Ridge and all Canadians as they seek understanding, healing and strength.
Updated
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney said the federal public safety minister will visit the scene of the school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, according to Reuters.
Family of suspect will need support too, says Tumbler Ridge pastor
The Rev George Rowe of the Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church reiterated how small and close-knit the community is in the remote town, saying it was possible that people in Tumbler Ridge may have encountered the suspect before the mass shooting on Tuesday. “Everybody here practically knows everybody,” he said.
Canadian police said the suspect had been identified as a female but did not release a name. Police are still investigating a motive and the connection between the suspect and the victims.
Rowe said that while there is speculation and rumours about the identity of the suspect, “I don’t think it would be a big surprise when the name is released”.
“Again, because we are a small community, we may have encountered that person personally in the last week, you really don’t know,” he told CBC.
“Once the information is out there we’ll try to deal with it, because the family of the person who committed this atrocity will also be going through a very difficult time, and we need to remember them in our thoughts and prayers as well.”
Trent Ernst, a local journalist and a former substitute teacher at Tumbler Ridge, expressed shock over the shooting at the school, where one of his children has just graduated.
He noted that school shootings have been a rarity occurring every few years in Canada compared with the United States, where they are far more frequent.
“I used to kind of go: ‘Look at Canada, look at who we are.’ But then that one school shooting every 2.5 years happens in your town and things... just go off the rails,” he told AFP.
Here are some overnight images from Tumbler Ridge after the deadly shooting:
Images show students, some with their hands raised, leaving Tumbler Ridge secondary school after the deadly shooting, while a police car was seen outside a nearby home where two people were found dead. Authorities believe their deaths were connected to the school shooting.
Students and teacher 'hid in the school for hours during shooting'
A mechanics teacher described how he and his students hid for several hours in a garage on the school grounds during the shooting.
Jarbas Noronha, who teaches the 12th grade auto mechanic shop class at Tumbler Ridge secondary school, said one of his students entered the garage on Tuesday afternoon saying he heard gunshots. The school principal, Stacie Gruntman, came to the garage door two minutes later shouting “lockdown”.
Noronha said he and 15 students barricaded the doors with metal benches and waited.
“We were in the safest part of the school,” Noronha told the New York Times. “If someone tried to break in through the hallway door, we would run to the yard through the garage doors.”
More than two hours later, police knocked on the garage doors and helped the students to the school’s recreation centre where families of students awaited news.
Noronha said he has been teaching at the school for two years and moved from Brazil to the remote town in north-eastern British Columbia in 2022 to be with his wife, a Tumbler Ridge native.
He described Tumbler Ridge as a “hunting town”, adding: “Everyone has guns here.”
Updated
Starmer: Tumbler Ridge shooting 'devastating'
UK prime minister Keir Starmer expressed condolences to Canada in parliament.
He said: “This morning I conveyed the UK’s deepest condolences to prime minister Carney and the people of Canada for the devastating shooting in Tumbler Ridge.”
Updated
World leaders offer condolences to Canada
Here are some of the messages posted by world leaders this morning in response to the attack:
French president Emmanuel Macron: “Horror has struck a school in Tumbler Ridge, Canada. Our thoughts are with the families of the victims, the injured, and the entire educational community. France stands alongside the Canadian people.”
German chancellor Friedrich Merz: “This morning we received terrible news from Canada. The school shooting, which claimed numerous lives, has deeply shaken us. Our thoughts are with the people of Tumbler Ridge as they mourn their families, friends, and loved ones. I wish those who were injured a swift recovery.”
Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese: “I am deeply shocked and saddened to hear about the tragic attack in Tumbler Ridge secondary school. I send my sincere condolences to all Canadians impacted by this horrific event. Australian hearts go out to the families and friends of the victims and we are all thinking of those injured.”
Updated
Tumbler Ridge shooting 'deeply shocking', says UK foreign secretary
We are beginning to get messages of condolences this morning from politicians in the UK and Europe after the mass shooting at a Canadian school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.
In a post on X, Yvette Cooper, the foreign secretary, said the shooting on Tuesday was “deeply shocking”.
She wrote:
My thoughts are with the families of all those killed and injured.
Britain stands with the Canadian people at this moment of profound sorrow and grief.
Updated
What we know so far
Nine people were killed and 25 more were injured in a mass shooting at a school and a residence in the small Canadian town of Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia.
Six people were found dead in Tumbler Ridge secondary school, where the shooting happened on Tuesday, and another person died while being taken to hospital. Two other people were found dead in a nearby home which police believe is connected to the school shooting. Police have not yet confirmed the ages of the victims.
A person believed to be the suspect was also found dead in the school from what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury, police said.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Supt Ken Floyd said the suspect’s motive remained unclear. He did not give any more details about the suspect but confirmed the attacker was the same person mentioned in an emergency alert issued to the community earlier in the day. The alert described the suspect as “female in a dress with brown hair”, according to local reports.
Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney has postponed an announcement and planned travel this week in response to the shooting. He was due to travel to Germany for the Munich Security Conference on Wednesday. “I am devastated by today’s horrific shootings,” he said in a message posted on social media. “My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence.”
British Columbia premier David Eby said the government would provide support for the community as they tried to “come to terms with this unimaginable tragedy”.
Nina Krieger, British Columbia’s minister of public safety, described the attack as “one of the worst mass shootings in our province’s and country’s history”.
Read our full report here:
Updated
Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy posted a message of condolence on social media. He wrote:
We are shocked by the news of the shooting at a school in Tumbler Ridge, Canada. When children are killed, no one should remain indifferent. Such tragedies should never happen anywhere, in any country in the world.
We hope that all those who were injured will recover quickly. On behalf of all Ukrainians, I express our sincere condolences to the families and loved ones, to all Canadians, and to Prime Minister [Mark Carney].
Canadian police have not yet released information about the ages of the victims, but confirmed six of the victims and the suspect were found dead in the school.
Tumbler Ridge, the remote British Columbia town where a mass shooting at a school and residence has left 10 people dead, has a population of about 2,400 people. It is located about 600 miles north of the city of Vancouver and lies near the border of Alberta province.
The town is nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, known as the Rockies, in the north-east of British Columbia, surrounded by expansive mountain ranges and a geopark recognised by Unesco, the UN cultural agency, as having internationally significant geological heritage.
Tumbler Ridge secondary school, where the shooting happened, has 160 to 175 students, according to the school district and provincial government websites. “Because of the small size of TRSS, there is a tremendous sense of community, as we tend to create strong and enduring relationships among staff and students,” the district website says.
Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said the whole community is grieving.
“I broke down,” he said, adding it was “devastating” to learn how many had died in the small community which he called a “big family”.
“I have lived here for 18 years,” Krakowka said “I probably know every one of the victims.”
Updated
Female identified as suspect in shooting - report
Police are still trying to piece together what led to the horrific shooting and the suspect’s motives.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Supt Ken Floyd told reporters that investigators had identified a female suspect but would not release a name, the Associated Press news agency reported.
Floyd added that the attacker’s motive remained unclear and that police are still investigating how the victims are connected to the suspect.
Earlier police said a suspect appeared to have died of a “self-inflicted injury”.
Updated
Just going back to pick up some more comments made by Tumbler Ridge student Darian Quist, who was interviewed tonight by CBC.
Quist said he was in his mechanics class when there was an announcement that the school was in lockdown. He said that initially he “didn’t think anything was going on,” but that he started receiving “disturbing” photos about the carnage at the school.
“It set in what was happening,” the 12th grade student said.
He said he stayed in lockdown for more than two hours until police stormed in, ordering everyone to put their hands up before escorting them out of the school.
Tumbler Ridge secondary school has 160 students in grades seven through 12, roughly ages 12 to 18, according to its website. The school has been closed for the rest of the week, officials said.
Updated
‘So difficult’ to leave victims’ families, says local pastor
Pastor George Rowe of the Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church said he encountered very “difficult” scenes when visiting the recreation centre where the victims’ families had been awaiting more information.
“It was not a pretty sight. Families are still waiting to hear if it’s their child that’s deceased and because of protocol and procedure the investigating team is very careful in releasing names,” Rowe told Associated Press.
“The big thing tonight was my having to walk away and the families still waiting to find out. It is so difficult. Other pastors and counsellors are there so they are not alone.”
Updated
Tumbler Ridge shooting: what we know so far
Police in Canada say 10 people are dead, including the suspect, in a mass shooting that appeared to target a high school in northern British Columbia.
More than two dozen victims have been hospitalised in what the premier, David Eby, called an “unimaginable tragedy” that ranks among the deadliest events of its kind in Canadian history.
Here is a look at what we know so far about the shooting in Tumbler Ridge:
‘No words that can ease the fear and pain’
It has just ticked past 10pm on Tuesday night in Tumbler Ridge, BC. Police were first alerted to an emergency at the secondary school at about 1.20pm.
The chair of the parent advisory council for Tumbler Ridge elementary and Tumbler Ridge secondary has urged families to check in with their kids after the shooting.
In a statement provided to CBC, Nicole Noksana said the community should rely on official information and respect the privacy of those affected once more details become clear.
“There are no words that can ease the fear and pain that events like this cause in a school community,” she said.
Interim Summary
Here is a look at what we know so far about the shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia:
Canadian police received a report of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge secondary school at around 1:20pm.
The response time of Canadian police to show up at the scene was 2 minutes, according to British Columbia premier David Eby.
10 people are dead, including the shooter whose identity has not yet been disclosed by authorities.
Six people were found dead inside Tumbler Ridge secondary school, one person died on the way to the hospital and two more were found dead inside a residence.
The shooter is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, police said.
25 other people with varying degrees of injuries are currently being treated.
All remaining students and staff were safely evacuated from the school.
Canadian police said that “we believe we’ve been able to identify the shooter” but will withhold details as the investigation continues.
Tumbler Ridge elementary and secondary school will remain closed for the rest of the week due to the shooting.
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney said he is “devastated” by the shooting and said that he “stands with all British Columbians as they confront this horrible tragedy.”
Carney has cancelled his upcoming trip to the Munich security conference in Germany in response to the shooting.
Updated
Also speaking to CBC was 12th grade student Darian Quist’s mother, Shelley Quist.
Quist told the outlet that she was at work when she was alerted about the shooting, saying that she could see “RCMP everywhere, fire, ambulances” from her office at the local hospital.
“There was an RCMP crouched down in our parking lot with his gun drawn,” she added, saying that her employer had asked anyone with kids to return home due to the active shooter situation.
Quist told CBC that she had stayed on the phone with her son the whole time, adding that she could hear "police “kicking” her son’s classroom door down.
“We live very close, a block away from the community centre. I literally almost ran over there,” she said, adding that she did not believe that Darian was safe until she actually saw him, CBC reports.
Tumbler Ridge high school student: 'We got tables and barricaded the doors'
Darian Quist, a 12th grade student at Tumbler Ridge secondary school, has spoken to CBC about the moment the shooting occurred.
According to Quist, moments after he got to his class at 1:30pm, an alarm went off with lockdown instructions to close the doors.
“We got tables and barricaded the doors” for over two hours, he said told CBC, adding that he was receiving photos on his phone from the scene.
He went on to say: “The reality of it all is starting to set in… I believe I knew somebody, but everything is still very fresh.”
Describing to CBC a situation that was “almost surreal,” Quist said: “It felt like I was somewhere that I had only seen across a TV.”
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British Columbia premier David Eby has listed out support lines to those affected by the shooting in Tumbler Ridge.
Writing on X, Eby said:
All of BC is wrapping the families of Tumbler Ridge with love.
Supports are available:
BC Mental Health Support Line: 310-6789
Kids Help Phone: Text ‘CONNECT’ to 686868
Thank you to the emergency responders on the ground for the work they are doing.”
More than two dozen victims have been hospitalised in what premier David Eby called an ‘unimaginable tragedy’ that ranks among the deadliest events of its kind in Canadian history.
Victoria police has also responded to the shooting, saying in a statement online:
“We are deeply saddened by the tragic mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge.
VicPD extends our heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost loved ones, to those who were injured, and to the entire Tumbler Ridge community as they navigate this unimaginable loss. Our thoughts are also with the students, educators, and first responders who have been profoundly impacted.
In moments like this, communities across British Columbia stand together and share in the grief.”
Tumbler Ridge shooting one of the worst in Canadian history
Even with the scant information provided by police, the shooting is one of the worst in Canadian history.
Because of Canada’s strict gun laws, which make it difficult to own both handguns or “assault-style weapons”, the country has experienced far fewer instances of mass violence compared with the US.
Still, the shooting is the second-deadliest school shooting in Canadian history. In 1989, a gunman killed 14 students at Montreal’s L’Ecole Polytechnique in an attack that targeted women. In 2016, five people were killed in a series in La Loche, Saskatchewan.
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Mark Carney cancels planned trip to Munich security conference
Canadian prime minister Mark Carney has cancelled a planned trip to the Munich security conference, due to the school shooting in Tumbler Ridge.
Carney was set to travel to Germany on Wednesday, but has suspended the trip along with plans to announce a new Defence Industrial Strategy in Halifax, according to his office.
In a post online, the Canadian prime minister said he was “devastated” by the shooting.
“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.”
Eby, upon being asked whether he has any details about the weapon involved, said he does not have any details yet from Canadian police.
Eby also said that he plans to visit Tumbler Ridge “as quickly as possible” to provide support to the families and friends of victims.
Eby said that he understands that police were “on scene within 2 minutes,” a response time which prevented the tragedy for becoming “significantly worse.”
He added that he is grateful that police “responded so quickly and fearlessly.”
British Columbia premier David Eby said that he has spoken with Canadian premier Mark Carney about the Tumbler Ridge shooting.
He added Carney has “conveyed the grief and devastation that he feels about what the people of Tumbler Ridge are facing,” and that Carney has offered federal assistance and is “committed to support British Columbians in this moment.”
Tumbler Ridge mayor: 'I will know every victim...we're a small community'
Tumbler Ridge mayor Darryl Krakowka said that he “will know every victim,” adding: ‘I’ve been here 19 years and we’re a small community.”
Speaking to CBC after sheltering in place at the district’s town hall, Krakowka said: “I don’t call them residents. I call them family.”
We are not getting many images from the scene coming through, but Google Maps has this image of Tumbler Ridge high school:
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Mark Carney: 'I am devastated by today's horrific shootings'
Canada’s prime minister Mark Carney has called the Tumbler Ridge shooting in British Columbia “horrific,” saying that he is “devastated” and is offering his “prayers and deepest condolences” to the families and friends of victims involved in the attack.
He went on to say:
“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.
Our ability to come together in crisis is the best of our country — our empathy, our unity, and our compassion for each other.
I have connected with Premier Eby to express my condolences, and with the Minister of Public Safety, Gary Anandasangaree, who is coordinating the federal response.
Our officials are in close contact with their counterparts to ensure the community is fully supported as best we can. The Government of Canada stands with all British Columbians as they confront this horrible tragedy.”
The leader of Canada’s Conservative party, Pierre Poilievre, has also issued his condolences towards victims involved in the Tumbler Ridge, saying:
“Devastated to hear of the many innocent people murdered and injured in a senseless act of violence at a local high school in Tumbler Ridge.
Our prayers are with the families, students, teachers, first responders, and the entire community grieving this profound loss.”
Larry Brock, the shadow minister for justice and the Canada’s attorney general, has issued a statement following the shooting in Tumbler Ridge, saying:
My prayers are with the families, students, educators, and entire community of Tumbler Ridge as they grieve this unthinkable tragedy.
Thank you to the first responders and RCMP who faced an unimaginable situation today. We are grateful for their dedication to the safety of the community.
As we mourn the innocent lives lost, I send my deepest condolences to the families and loved ones affected.”
We are currently on standby for a press conference by British Columbia premier David Eby.
Stay tuned as we bring you the latest updates.
David Eby, the premier of British Columbia, has released a statement following the shooting in Tumbler Ridge, saying:
“Our hearts are in Tumbler Ridge tonight with the families of those who have lost loved ones.
Government will ensure every possible support for community members in the coming days, as we all try to come to terms with this unimaginable tragedy.”
The town of Tumbler Ridge, which has a population of about 2,400 people, is more than 1,000km north of Vancouver, near the border with Alberta.
Located in British Columbia, the town is a former coal mining community which saw a boom during the 1970s, and again more recently when mining returned.
The town markets itself as a land of “dinosaurs and waterfalls”, and is the site of a Unesco area of internationally significant geology, geography, or human history, according to CBC.
School shootings are rare in Canada and Tumbler Ridge secondary school has more than 160 students, according to its website.
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Canadian police: 'We believe we've been able to identify the shooter' but withholds details over privacy reasons
“We believe we’ve been able to identify the shooter,” said Floyd, adding that RCMP will withhold the shooter’s identity for privacy reasons and for the conduct of the investigation.
Floyd also refused to disclose details on how many of the victims were children and adults, adding that more details will emerge in coming days.
Canadian police: Suspect found dead in what 'appeared to be a self-inflicted injury'
The suspect involved in the shooting was found deceased in what “appeared to be a self-inflicted injury,” Floyd said.
He added that remaining school staff and students, which was about 100 people total, were safely evacuated.
Floyd added that police are not yet able to determine the motivations of the shooter, adding:
“We are grateful for the cooperation shown as officers continue to advance the investigation.”
The RCMP is currently holding a virtual press conference on the shooting.
RCMP’s North District chief superintendent Ken Floyd said the victims injured are being triaged and did not disclose any details on the connection of the shooter to the local high school.
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Nina Krieger, British Columbia’s minister of public safety and solicitor general, has called the shooting “devastating,” adding that her office will “deploy every resource to support the investigation and the people of Tumbler Ridge.”
Her full statement is as follows:
“The RCMP have ended the emergency alert in Tumbler Ridge. Police do not believe there are any outstanding suspects or ongoing threat to the public.
Today’s devastating events are sending shockwaves through the community and the entire province. My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the entire Tumbler Ridge community.
I would [like] to thank RCMP and first responders for their immediate and courageous response. We will deploy every resource to support the investigation and the people of Tumbler Ridge.”
Tumbler Ridge is located in a remote part of British Columbia, north of Vancouver:
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Tumbler Ridge's elementary and secondary schools to close
Tumbler Ridge’s elementary and secondary schools will close for the rest of the week following this afternoon’s shooting.
In a statement online, the school district said:
“Due to the tragic events that unfolded in community of Tumbler Ridge today, Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School will be closed for the rest of the week.
The district will make supports available and once we have the locations for where the supports will be we will put that information on social media.”
RCMP’s north district commander, superintendent Ken Floyd called the shooting a “rapidly evolving and dynamic situation,” adding that the “swift cooperation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response.”
Floyd went on to say:
“Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragic incident. This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the cooperation shown as officers continue their work to advance the investigation.”
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has released a statement on the shooting in British Columbia, saying that it had received a report of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge secondary school at around 1:20pm.
It stated:
“As part of the initial response to the active shooting, police entered the school to locate the threat. During the search, officers located multiple victims. An individual believed to be the shooter was also found deceased with what appears to be a self‑inflicted injury.
Six additional individuals, not including the suspect, have been located deceased inside the school. Two victims have been airlifted to hospital with serious or life‑threatening injuries. A third victim died while being transported to hospital. Approximately 25 others are being assessed and triaged at the local medical centre for non‑life‑threatening injuries.”
All remaining students and staff were safely evacuated, RCMP said, adding that police have identified a secondary location believed to be connected to the incident where “two additional victims were located deceased in a residence.”
Opening summary
At least eight people are dead following a shooting at a high school in British Columbia, Canada on Tuesday afternoon.
According to a statement from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, seven people were found dead in an attack in British Columbia’s municipality of Tumbler Ridge. A suspect was also found deceased, police said.
At least 25 other people are currently being treated for injuries, national broadcaster CBC added, citing Canadian police.
Stay with us as we bring you the latest developments…
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