A quiet town in northeastern British Columbia has been shattered by unimaginable loss. Tumbler Ridge, a close-knit community, is reeling from a mass shooting that has claimed eight lives and injured twenty-seven others – the deadliest such event in Canadian history.
The horror unfolded at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Tuesday afternoon. Police responding to reports of an active shooter discovered six victims inside the school: a female teacher, three young female students, and two male students. The heartbreaking discovery of their bodies, some in the library and one in a stairwell, marked the beginning of a community’s profound grief.
The shooter, identified as eighteen-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, died of a self-inflicted injury within the school building. The tragedy extended beyond the school walls, as police later found two more victims – Van Rootselaar’s mother and stepbrother – deceased at a nearby home.
As dawn broke Wednesday, a perimeter remained around the school, a stark reminder of the violence that had occurred. Rev. Gerald Krauss, who spent the night comforting distraught parents, spoke of a community irrevocably changed. “These kids should be playing hockey or just being kids,” he said, his voice heavy with sorrow, “but life has just been completely turned upside down.”
The initial RCMP response revealed the recovery of a long gun and a modified handgun at the scene. An emergency alert described the suspect as a “female in a dress with brown hair,” offering a fleeting glimpse into the unfolding chaos.
Twenty-five individuals at the school sustained injuries, receiving treatment on-site. Two were airlifted to hospital in critical condition, with one initially believed to have succumbed to their injuries, but thankfully, later confirmed to have survived. Both remain in critical but stable condition.
The pain is acutely felt by families like that of twelve-year-old Maya Edmonds, currently fighting for her life at B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver after suffering two gunshot wounds. Her mother, Cia, shared a desperate plea on social media: “She was a lucky one, I suppose… please, please, pray for my baby.”
Rev. Krauss, of the New Life Assembly, described the agonizing wait at the community centre as families desperately sought news of their children. “We know every single person that lost a child,” he said, his voice trembling. “It’s a tragedy that has hit our quiet town… and I just don’t really have the words to describe what happened.”
The weight of the loss is immense, with some of the victims being members of his congregation. He recounted the heartbreaking scene of students being released to parents, only for some families to face the devastating realization that their children were not among them. “Suddenly people from our congregation are gone. It’s overwhelming.”
Both Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Elementary will remain closed for the rest of the week, providing time for grief and allowing trauma counsellors to support students, teachers, and staff. The community is grappling with a loss that will forever alter the fabric of their lives.
The premier of British Columbia expressed his devastation, stating, “This is a devastating and unimaginable tragedy.” Offers of support have poured in from across the country, including from the Prime Minister and the Premier of Alberta, as the nation mourns alongside the community of Tumbler Ridge.
