Tumbler Ridge shooting
Eight victims, and shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar, died in a school shooting on February 11, 2026, in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.[1][2][3] Prior to her arrival at school Van Rootselaar had killed her mother and 11 year old brother.
Van Rootselaar was 18 years old, and was a former student at Tumbler Ridge High School, who had dropped out, four years earlier.[1][2][3] According to the The New York Times, Van Rootselaar was an individual who had spent several years in transition from male to female, and authorities stated they would continue to refer to her as female. The New York Times reported she was "known to Police", due to mental health calls. It was one of the mass killings with the highest death toll in Canadian history -- The New York Times said it was the third most deadly mass killing.
Tumbler Ridge is a small, isolated community, near the mountains.[1][2][3] It was founded as a coal mining town, but major industry is now tourism. The New York Times quoted a resident who noted as a small wildnerness community, where game hunting was popular, most homes had guns.
Shooting
[edit | edit source]Police first received calls about the shooting at 2:20pm.[4] The RCMP said Police were at the school within two minutes, and heard shooting as they approached.[5] However, when they entered, they found the shooter dead, apparently from a self-inflicted gunshot.
At 2:47 Police found Rootselaar's mother and brother dead in his home.[4]
In addition to the eight victims, and the shooter, 27 individuals were treated for injuries, two of those have life-threatening injuries.
Five students, and a teacher, were killed in the shooting Witnesses describe school principal, Stacie Gruntman, going from classroom to classroom, to advise students and teachers to lock the doors, and hide.[3]
Police said they had no evidence Rootselaar had been a victim of bullying, and no evidence her gender transition played a role in the attack.
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2
- "Live updates: At least seven dead after school shooting in British Columbia, Canada, police say". BBC News. 2026-02-11. Archived from the original on 2026-02-11. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- "Canada shooting latest: Police name suspect in Canada school shooting as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar". BBC News. 2026-02-11. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Ravi Mattu (2026-02-11). "Tumbler Ridge Shooting: What to Know About the Victims and Suspect". The New York Times. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3
Francesca Regalado (2026-02-11). "Students and Teachers Hid in School for Hours During British Columbia Shooting". The New York Times. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
It was the third deadliest shooting in Canada’s history.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Nick Logan (2026-02-11). "Timeline: How the first 24 hours after the Tumbler Ridge, B.C., shooting unfolded". CBC News. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
- ↑
"Update: Tumbler Ridge fatal shootings". Royal Canadian Mounted Police (Press release). 2026-02-10. Retrieved 2026-02-12.
Upon arrival, there was active gunfire, and as officers approached the school, rounds were fired in their direction. Officers entered the school to locate the threat. Within minutes an individual, confirmed to be the shooter, was located deceased with what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury.
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