Canada Police Identify 18-Year-Old Suspect in Fatal Shootings Claiming Nine Lives

The tragic mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, a small town in western Canada, has left the nation in shock. The deceased suspect, identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, was known to police prior to the incident.

On Tuesday afternoon, law enforcement discovered Van Rootselaar dead at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, believed to have died from a self-inflicted wound. The shooting claimed the lives of six individuals at the school, including four 12-year-old students and one 13-year-old, as reported by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

In addition to the school victims, Van Rootselaar is suspected of murdering her mother and step-brother, whose bodies were found at their home. RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald provided updates during a news conference on Wednesday.

Initially, the death toll was reported as ten, but police later corrected it to nine after a young woman, who had sustained serious injuries, was found to have survived the ordeal.

This heartbreaking event is one of the worst mass shootings in Canadian history, prompting condolences from leaders worldwide, including King Charles III. Prime Minister Mark Carney postponed a defense announcement and canceled plans to attend the Munich Security Conference in light of the tragedy. Several cabinet members, along with BC Premier David Eby, are set to visit Tumbler Ridge. The House of Commons concluded its session early, following a moment of silence and remarks from Carney and opposition leaders.

“Yesterday morning, parents in Tumbler Ridge sent their children off to school, and some will never be able to hug their children again. These children and their teachers bore witness to unheard-of cruelty,” Carney stated. He expressed solidarity with the affected families, emphasizing that “our entire country stands with you.”

Emotionally impacted, Carney described it as a “difficult day for our nation,” announcing that the Canadian flag would be lowered to half-mast at Parliament and federal buildings for the upcoming week.

Provincial legislator Larry Neufeld, representing the area, described the situation as “devastation,” stating that the term doesn’t fully capture the gravity of the incident.

Tumbler Ridge, with a population of approximately 2,600, has a high school with around 160 students. The sequence of events began with the killings at the residence before the suspect moved to the school. Police responded within two minutes to reports of an active shooter at about 1:20 p.m. on Tuesday.

Van Rootselaar, who began transitioning to female approximately six years ago, was known to have a history of mental health issues. McDonald noted that police had previously attended the family residence multiple times, with some calls related to concerns about Van Rootselaar’s mental well-being. She had been apprehended under the Mental Health Act on different occasions.

About 25 individuals were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, while two people airlifted to the hospital were reported to be in critical but stable condition. A GoFundMe page raised over C$75,000 ($55,000) for a 12-year-old girl receiving treatment for life-threatening gunshot wounds at Vancouver Children’s Hospital.

Photograph: Flowers outside of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on Feb. 11, 2026; photo credit: Paige Taylor White/AFP/Getty Images

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.

Topics
Law Enforcement
Canada

The tragic mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, a small town in western Canada, has left the nation in shock. The deceased suspect, identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, was known to police prior to the incident.

On Tuesday afternoon, law enforcement discovered Van Rootselaar dead at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, believed to have died from a self-inflicted wound. The shooting claimed the lives of six individuals at the school, including four 12-year-old students and one 13-year-old, as reported by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

In addition to the school victims, Van Rootselaar is suspected of murdering her mother and step-brother, whose bodies were found at their home. RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald provided updates during a news conference on Wednesday.

Initially, the death toll was reported as ten, but police later corrected it to nine after a young woman, who had sustained serious injuries, was found to have survived the ordeal.

This heartbreaking event is one of the worst mass shootings in Canadian history, prompting condolences from leaders worldwide, including King Charles III. Prime Minister Mark Carney postponed a defense announcement and canceled plans to attend the Munich Security Conference in light of the tragedy. Several cabinet members, along with BC Premier David Eby, are set to visit Tumbler Ridge. The House of Commons concluded its session early, following a moment of silence and remarks from Carney and opposition leaders.

“Yesterday morning, parents in Tumbler Ridge sent their children off to school, and some will never be able to hug their children again. These children and their teachers bore witness to unheard-of cruelty,” Carney stated. He expressed solidarity with the affected families, emphasizing that “our entire country stands with you.”

Emotionally impacted, Carney described it as a “difficult day for our nation,” announcing that the Canadian flag would be lowered to half-mast at Parliament and federal buildings for the upcoming week.

Provincial legislator Larry Neufeld, representing the area, described the situation as “devastation,” stating that the term doesn’t fully capture the gravity of the incident.

Tumbler Ridge, with a population of approximately 2,600, has a high school with around 160 students. The sequence of events began with the killings at the residence before the suspect moved to the school. Police responded within two minutes to reports of an active shooter at about 1:20 p.m. on Tuesday.

Van Rootselaar, who began transitioning to female approximately six years ago, was known to have a history of mental health issues. McDonald noted that police had previously attended the family residence multiple times, with some calls related to concerns about Van Rootselaar’s mental well-being. She had been apprehended under the Mental Health Act on different occasions.

About 25 individuals were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, while two people airlifted to the hospital were reported to be in critical but stable condition. A GoFundMe page raised over C$75,000 ($55,000) for a 12-year-old girl receiving treatment for life-threatening gunshot wounds at Vancouver Children’s Hospital.

Photograph: Flowers outside of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on Feb. 11, 2026; photo credit: Paige Taylor White/AFP/Getty Images

Copyright 2026 Bloomberg.

Topics
Law Enforcement
Canada