Canada authorities have identified 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar as the suspect in a mass shooting that left eight people dead in the remote community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.
Police said Van Rootselaar died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound after carrying out the attack. The tragedy marks Canada’s deadliest mass killing since 2020, when a gunman killed 13 people in Nova Scotia and set fires that caused additional deaths.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed that before entering her former school, Van Rootselaar allegedly killed her 39-year-old mother and her 11-year-old stepbrother at their home.
At the school, a 39-year-old teacher and five students — three girls and two boys aged 12 to 13 — were killed. More than 25 others were injured, including two who remain in critical condition.
History of Mental Health Interventions
According to RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, Van Rootselaar had previous interactions with police related to mental health concerns.
“Police had attended that residence on multiple occasions over the past several years dealing with mental health issues concerning the suspect,” McDonald told reporters.
Authorities said she had previously been apprehended under British Columbia’s Mental Health Act for assessment.
Police also confirmed that Van Rootselaar was born male but had begun identifying as female approximately six years ago. She had left Tumbler Ridge Secondary School four years earlier.
The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and investigators say it is too early to determine what may have driven the violence.
Timeline of the Attack
Police were first alerted after a young family member escaped the suspect’s home and sought help from a neighbour, who contacted authorities.
Officers arrived at the school within two minutes of receiving the emergency call and reported encountering gunfire upon arrival. They later found Van Rootselaar deceased inside the building.
Investigators recovered two firearms at the scene — a long gun and a modified handgun. While the suspect previously held a firearms licence, it had expired in 2024, and no weapons were registered in her name.
Police said firearms had been seized from the residence years earlier but were later returned to their lawful owner following a legal request.
Authorities believe the suspect acted alone and have found no indication that specific individuals at the school were targeted.
Community in Shock
Tumbler Ridge, a small mountain town of approximately 2,700 residents in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, has been deeply shaken by the violence.
Mayor Darryl Krakowka described the town as “one big family” and urged residents to support one another during the crisis.
Family members of the victims have shared messages of grief on social media. Abel Mwansa wrote that his 12-year-old son, also named Abel, was among those killed. Shanon Dycke confirmed that her niece, Kylie May Smith, 12, died in the attack. Another parent, Cia Edmonds, said her daughter Maya remains in hospital after suffering gunshot wounds.
Rare but Devastating
School shootings are uncommon in Canada, which has relatively strict gun control laws. The scale of the attack has sparked nationwide shock and renewed conversations about public safety and mental health support.
Investigators continue to examine evidence as the community mourns one of the darkest days in its history.