Police Identify 18-Year-Old Suspect In Tumbler Ridge School Shooting

Canadian police have identified Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, as the suspect in a mass shooting at a high school and a nearby residence in northeastern British Columbia that left ten people dead, including the gunman.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said six victims were found dead inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, two others were discovered at a local residence, and one victim died while being transported to hospital. Van Rootselaar was found dead at the school with what police described as an apparent self-inflicted injury.

In a significant development, police confirmed that the two victims found at the residence were a 39-year-old woman and an 11-year-old boy, identified as the suspect’s mother and step-brother. Most of the students killed in the attack were born in 2012 or 2013, police said.

Police said two firearms — a long gun and a modified handgun — were recovered at the scene. Authorities are still working to determine the origin of the weapons and their role in the incident. The suspect held a firearms licence that expired in 2024 and did not have any firearms currently registered, Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald said during a press conference.

Authorities said Van Rootselaar was born biologically male and began transitioning approximately six years ago, identifying as female. Police also mentioned officers had attended the suspect’s residence on multiple occasions over the past several years in connection with mental health concerns.