by Stefan J. Bos, Worthy News Chief International Correspondent
TUMBLER RIDGE, CANADA (Worthy News) – Mourners in a remote Canadian town grappled Thursday with the aftermath of one of the country’s deadliest school shootings in decades, as families, survivors and leaders reacted to the tragedy that left eight victims — most of them children — dead, along with the 18-year-old suspect.
Residents of Tumbler Ridge, a mountain community of roughly 2,500 people in northeastern British Columbia — a vast Pacific province known for forests, mining and rugged wilderness — built memorials of flowers, candles and stuffed animals as they struggled to comprehend the violence that has shaken nearly every household.
Young children, parents and grandparents gathered at vigils in freezing temperatures, seeking comfort in community. Mayor Darryl Krakowka told mourners, “It’s OK to cry.”
Krakowka, who has lived in the town for nearly two decades, said the loss would touch nearly everyone. “I will know every victim. I’ve been here 19 years, and we’re a small community,” he added. “I don’t call them residents. I call them family.”
Police identified the suspect as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, a former student at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
SHOOTING SUSPECT IDENTIFIED
Authorities said she first shot and killed her mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at a residence before opening fire at the school.
Six victims — a teacher and five students between the ages of 12 and 13 — were found dead inside the school, and two others were discovered at the home, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Van Rootselaar was found dead inside the school from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police said they recovered a long gun and a modified handgun at the scene.
The suspect had previously been the subject of police visits related to mental health concerns, though investigators have not released further details or identified a motive, according to authorities.
At least 27 people were injured, including a 12-year-old girl who was critically wounded and airlifted to a Vancouver hospital, authorities announced.
STUDENTS BARRICADE CLASSROOMS
Students and staff reportedly followed lockdown procedures as the shooting unfolded. Witnesses recalled that students barricaded classroom doors with desks and tables and remained inside for hours while police secured the building.
Bryan Castellarin, whose 15-year-old son Ashton was inside the school, said students “were huddled in a corner of the classroom for two to three hours. It felt a lot, lot longer,” as they waited during the lockdown.
Some students were “really freaking out and crying,” he explained.
Ashton later described the experience as terrifying and said students did not know where the gunshots were coming from.
Describing his own fear while waiting for news of his son, Castellarin added: “It was terrifying, it’s hard to put into words the dread and the fear that you feel knowing that a loved one is in danger.”
FAMILIES IDENTIFY VICTIMS
Among those killed was 12-year-old Kylie May Smith, whose family confirmed her death. Her aunt described her as a “beautiful, kind, innocent soul” in an online fundraiser.
Another 12-year-old, Maya Gebala, was critically injured after being shot in the head and neck and remains in intensive care in Vancouver, her family said.
In a town where many residents have known each other for years, families said nearly everyone has been personally affected.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told Parliament that the shooting “has left our nation in shock and all of us in mourning.”
He offered condolences to the victims’ families and announced that flags on federal buildings would be flown at half-staff for seven days in their honor.
SHOOTINGS ‘UNIMAGINABLE TRAGEDY’
British Columbia Premier David Eby called the killings an “unimaginable tragedy” and said provincial and federal authorities were coordinating support.
Opposition lawmakers echoed those sentiments, urging unity and sustained assistance for grieving families.
The attack ranks among the most lethal school shootings in recent Canadian history.
Earlier attacks included the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal that left 14 women dead and remains the deadliest school shooting in Canada.
The 2020 Nova Scotia rampage, though not school-related, killed 22 people and stands as the deadliest mass killing in modern Canadian history.
STRICT GUN LAWS
Canada maintains comparatively strict gun laws, including licensing, safety training and background checks.
Certain semi-automatic firearms and handguns are restricted or prohibited, and reforms enacted after the 2020 Nova Scotia killings included bans on many assault-style weapons.
Authorities said it remains under investigation how the suspect obtained the firearms used in the attack.
As Tumbler Ridge continues to mourn, counseling services and long-term support are being mobilized to help residents cope.
Community leaders say the grief will endure in a town where neighbors often describe one another as family.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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