In brief
An unprecedented act of violence shook Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, when an 18-year-old suspect, Jesse Van Rootselaar, opened fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, resulting in eight deaths, including six school community members. Van Rootselaar was discovered with a self-inflicted gunshot wound after the incident. The motives remain unclear, while authorities probe into the suspect's background and mental health history.
An 18-year-old has been named as the suspect in a shooting that killed eight people and injured dozens more in British Columbia, Canada.
Police said Jesse Van Rootselaar was found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot injury. The motive for the attack is not yet known.
Six people were killed and at least 25 others were injured at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Two others - the suspect's mother and step-brother - were found dead at a nearby home.
Authorities said Van Rootselaar was born a biological male but identified as a woman.
I can say that Jesse was born as a biological male who approximately six years ago began to transition to female, said Dwayne McDonald, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) deputy commissioner.
The shooting at the nearby home occurred first, then the suspect went to the school, McDonald explained. The victims at the school included a 39-year-old female educator and five students aged 12 to 13.
Authorities do not believe there are other suspects involved in the shootings. Police had attended the family home on multiple occasions over the past years, with some calls related to mental health concerns.
Van Rootselaar had previously held a valid gun license that had since lapsed and had dropped out of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School four years ago.
On the afternoon of the incident, police responded to an active shooter report at the school, arriving within two minutes to find the suspect had already taken his own life.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed condolences, stating that victims were fighting for their lives and that it was a time for the community to come together in support.
Mayor Darryl Krakowka remarked on the tight-knit nature of Tumbler Ridge, highlighting the impact of the loss on a community where everyone knows each other.
