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Police say an 18-year-old former student, Jesse Van Rootselaar, carried out a two-location attack that left nine people dead, including the suspect, in the remote community of Tumbler Ridge.
Authorities say two victims were killed at a residence before the shooter went to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where a teacher and five students died.
Police recovered two firearms, described as a long gun and a modified handgun, and say they have found no evidence of accomplices. The motive remains under investigation.
What Police Have Confirmed in Writing
In an RCMP update issued the day after the shootings, investigators said officers were called to the school at about 1:20 p.m. local time and issued a police-initiated public alert while responding.
The RCMP said the corrected death toll is nine, including the suspect, after a critically injured victim initially believed dead was found to be alive.
The RCMP release also provides a breakdown of the deceased: a 39-year-old educator, three 12-year-old female students, and two male students ages 12 and 13 at the school, plus two victims at a nearby residence.
What Is Known About the “Transgender Woman” Detail
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The RCMP written update identifies the suspect by name and age but does not describe gender identity.
Major outlets that covered the police briefing report that investigators described Van Rootselaar as a transgender woman, including details that she began transitioning years earlier and was publicly identified as female.
No public statement from police has indicated that the suspect’s gender identity was a causal factor in the attack. Police have not released a motive.
A timeline of the attack, as authorities and reporting describe it
Reporting based on police briefings says the violence began at a residence, where the suspect’s mother and 11-year-old stepbrother were killed, before the shooter went to the school and opened fire.
The RCMP says the school incident triggered a rapid emergency response, followed by evacuation and reunification efforts. In the aftermath, School District 59 announced that both the secondary and elementary schools in Tumbler Ridge would close for the rest of the week while supports were arranged.
Injuries and the Evolving Death Toll
Authorities and major reporting consistently describe more than 25 injured, with at least two victims airlifted for higher-level care.
Investigators have been explicit that early casualty counts were revised as victims’ medical status became clearer. That revision is part of why the confirmed number is now framed as eight fatalities plus the suspect.
What Investigators Are Likely to Focus On Next
Based on what police have said publicly, the next major investigative questions are straightforward:
- Weapon provenance: how the firearms were obtained, what “modified handgun” means in this case, and whether any legal restrictions or prior enforcement actions are relevant.
- Prior contacts: what police knew from earlier calls involving the household, and what options were available under provincial mental health interventions and federal firearms rules.
- Motive and selection: whether the attack was opportunistic, grievance-driven, or tied to a specific trigger, and what digital or written trail exists, if any.
The National Response
Prime Minister Mark Carney ordered flags lowered and postponed travel, as the killings became a national shock in a country where school mass shootings of this scale are rare.
