A quiet mining town in northeastern British Columbia has been shattered by a horrific mass shooting that left nine people dead, including the perpetrator. On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar carried out a deadly rampage that began at a private residence and ended at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
As of Friday, February 13, the town of 2,400 people is observing seven days of mourning, with flags across Canada flying at half-staff.
Timeline of the Attack
The violence unfolded in a terrifyingly short window on Tuesday afternoon, catching the remote community completely off guard.
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The Initial Attack: Police believe Van Rootselaar first killed her 39-year-old mother, Jennifer Strang, and her 11-year-old stepbrother, Emmett Jacobs, at their home on Fellers Avenue. A young relative managed to flee to a neighbor’s house to raise the alarm.
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The School Shooting: At approximately 1:20 PM MST, the shooter arrived at the secondary school armed with a long gun and a modified handgun. The first victim was shot in a stairwell, followed by a lethal assault in the school library.
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The Lockdown: Students and staff barricaded doors with tables and benches as the principal shouted “Lockdown!” over the alarms.
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The Conclusion: Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) arrived within minutes. Upon entering the school, they found the suspect dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The Victims: A Community in Mourning
The RCMP has officially confirmed the names of the eight victims lost in the tragedy. The loss has hit the small, tight-knit town particularly hard, as most victims were children just beginning their teenage years.
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At the School: Education assistant Shannda Aviugana-Durand (39), and students Abel Mwansa (12), Ezekiel Schofield (13), Kylie Smith (12), Zoey Benoit (12), and Ticaria Lampert (12).
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At the Home: Jennifer Strang (39) and Emmett Jacobs (11).
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The Injured: Twenty-seven others were treated for injuries. Two victims—a 12-year-old girl and a 19-year-old woman—remain in critical condition after being airlifted to specialized hospitals.
The Suspect and Motive
The RCMP identified the shooter as Jesse Van Rootselaar, a former student and high school dropout.
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Prior History: Authorities confirmed that Van Rootselaar was known to police due to prior mental health calls. Firearms had previously been removed from the home but were later returned to the “lawful owner” after a petition.
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Identity: Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald confirmed that Van Rootselaar was a transgender woman who had been transitioning for six years.
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Motive: Police have found no suicide note or manifesto. Investigations are ongoing, but officials state there is currently no evidence that specific individuals were targeted at the school.
National and Global Response
Prime Minister Mark Carney cancelled an international trip to Europe to visit Tumbler Ridge today for a community vigil. He described the event as an “unimaginable tragedy” and “one of the country’s worst acts of mass violence.”
The attack is the deadliest school shooting in Canada since the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre. World leaders, including King Charles III and President Donald Trump, have sent messages of solidarity to the grieving families.
Final Word
Staying informed on the Tumbler Ridge tragedy isn’t just about reading a headline—it plays a powerful role in your understanding of the systemic gaps in mental health and the ongoing debate over firearm accessibility. When you look past the shock and focus on the data of the prior police calls and the timeline of the attack, you gain a clearer picture of how “red flag” warnings are managed in modern society.
Quality information replaces the noise of social media rumors with the clarity of verified RCMP briefings. It allows you to see this tragedy not just as a statistic, but as a critical moment for national reflection on safety and support systems. By choosing to follow the facts of the investigation rather than the speculation surrounding the perpetrator, you align your perspective with the realities of the victims’ lives and support a more informed, resilient public consciousness.
Where Facts, Context, and Perspective Matter
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