BURST
Eight people are dead and 27 injured after the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge in northeastern B.C. on Tuesday, Feb. 10.
The shooting unfolded at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where six people were later found dead. Two others were flown to hospital, while 25 were assessed for minor injuries.
The shooter also died from a self-inflicted injury inside the school.
Two other victims were found dead inside a home nearby.
Thursday has been declared a day of mourning for the community of Tumbler Ridge.
For the latest on the Tumbler Ridge shooting, follow along below for live updates throughout the day. And read more of our coverage here:
•
Tumbler Ridge: How a day of horror and tragedy unfolded
•
In Tumbler Ridge, shock, grief and an eerie silence
•
What we know about the Tumbler Ridge mass shooter
•
What school shooting history tells us following Tumbler Ridge tragedy
•
What the world is saying about the devastating B.C. mass shooting
•
Mass shootings are rare in Canada. Here are the deadliest in our country’s history
Thursday, Feb. 12
Feb. 12 declared official day of mourning
Premier David Eby and Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger arrived in Tumbler Ridge on Wednesday, in advance of the day of mourning that had been declared for Thursday.
Federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree and federal Housing Minister Gregor Robertson, who is the MP for Vancouver Fraserview-South Burnaby, were also expected in the northeast B.C. town this week.
B.C.’s throne speech was delayed yesterday because of the tragedy but will back on Thursday at 2 p.m. and will be dedicated to the people of Tumbler Ridge.
A livestream of the speech can be watched on the B.C. government’s YouTube web page.
Meantime, Prime Minister Mark Carney is also planning to visit Tumbler Ridge. A statement from the PMO says he will visit in the near future and that details will be worked out with community officials based on their needs.
-Stephanie Ip
GoFundMe sets up central hub for donations, another victim ID’d
The company says it has verified several GoFundMe campaigns for the victims and their families in Tumbler Ridge.
GoFundMe’s dedicated crisis response team is monitoring the platform for any related fundraisers created to help those affected, the company said in a news release.
So far, the company has verified the following fundraisers, that can be found on the Tumbler Ridge Tragedy community page.
The Tumbler Ridge Parent Advisory Committee, in partnership with local organizations, have launched a fundraiser to support the victims of this tragic event.
A new GoFundMe page has identified another one of the victims as 12-year-old Ticaria. The fundraiser, organized by Kenesha Mercredi, who says she’s the family neighbour, says Ticaria’s mother Sarah is a single mom who needs helps to cover the funeral expenses for her daughter.
Mercredi describes the young girl as “ a loving, courageous, humorous, one of a kind kiddo” whose life was cut short at such a young age.
There is also a page for 12-year-old Maya Edmonds, who remains in B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver “clinging to life right now.”
A GoFundMe page set up for Maya has raised more than $250,000.
—Tiffany Crawford
Wednesday, Feb. 11
B.C.’s premier promises investigation into murderous rampage
B.C. Premier David Eby has promised he “will get answers to all questions” related to mental health and police interactions that killer Jesse Van Rootsellar had before their murderous rampage.
Eby said he will also find out why weapons were taken from Van Rootsellar’s family home then returned to them.
Speaking from Tumbler Ridge on Wednesday night and fighting back tears, Eby said he would use all avenues of investigation to answer every questions raised by the killing.
Eby attended an impromptu vigil, held across the downtown square from City Hall, before speaking to the media.
Article content
Also at the press conference, federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree highlighted the efforts of Tumbler Ridge RCMP detachment commander Sgt. Bill Hughes and other officers who put themselves in danger as the event unfolded.
“Their efforts saved many lives,” Anandasangaree said.
B.C. Solicitor General Nina Krieger said there were also extraordinary acts of courage performed by school staff, which would come out over the next few days.
Eby became emotional when he spoke of 12-year-old Maya Edmonds, who is in Children’s Hospital in Vancouver “clinging to life right now.”
Three students killed in Tumbler Ridge shooting identified by family
Three of the students killed in the tragic Tumbler Ridge shooting have been identified by family.
The morning after her 12-year-old son was killed in a shooting at his Tumbler Ridge high school, Bwalya Chisanga said she felt like it had all been a dream.
In a series of Facebook posts, the mother remembered waking up her son to go to school at 8:20 a.m. each day. On Tuesday, hours before his death, he asked her to let his dad know he would need to be picked up at church at the end of the day. Then he picked up his backpack and left for school.
Abel Mwansa was one of five students killed at Tumbler Ridge Secondary on Tuesday afternoon.
“My son I treasured the moment(s) I spent with you,” Mwansa’s father Abel Mwansa posted on Facebook. “You were a great son, still remain a great one to me.”
Family members of other victims also posted tributes to their loved ones.
Thirteen-year-old Eziekiel Schofield was also killed in the shooting, according to a Facebook post by his grandfather Peter Schofield.
“Everything feels so surreal. The tears just keep flowing,” he posted Wednesday.
“So many young lives were ended so needlessly. Our hearts are broken not only for Eziekiel, but for every family affected by this tragedy.”
In a post on GoFundMe , Shanon Dycke, the aunt of 12-year-old Kylie Smith , said her family received the “gut-wrenching news” that Kylie was a victim on Tuesday.
“We are completely devastated and have no words as we try to process the magnitude of the situation,” she said. She called the girl a “beautiful, kind, innocent soul.”
Dennis Campbell, president of the Tumbler Ridge Minor Hockey Association, knew all the victims.
Campbell’s 12-year-old daughter Quinn played soccer with Abel, who he described as “a good, kind-hearted soul”.
Ezekiel, who played hockey, was “an amazing child” who always had a smile on his face.
Campbell had known Kylie since she was a baby, and spent Wednesday comforting her family. “My daughter lost four friends that day,” the devastated man said. “I’ve been crying all day.”
-Glenda Luymes
Community vigil for Tumbler Ridge in the works
A larger community vigil is being organized for Tumbler Ridge, with more details expected in the coming days, said Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka in a statement Wednesday.
“Our community is strong; we are family; we need to help each other,” he wrote. “We encourage residents to check
in on one another and hold your loved ones close as we navigate this unimaginable loss together.”
Krakowka encouraged residents to rely on confirmed information shared by the RCMP as the investigation continues.
An online book of condolences has also been set up for the public to share their messages with the Tumbler Ridge community. It will be available online until Feb. 20, 2026.
The book of condolences can be accessed online here .
-Stephanie Ip
Teacher and five students among those killed in Tumbler Ridge shooting
Police are providing more details about the mass shooting Tuesday at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald of the B.C. RCMP spoke at a news conference Wednesday, describing how police arrived to the school within two minutes of the shooting being reported.
“On arrival, there was active gunfire and as officers approached the school, rounds were fired in their direction,” said McDonald.
Inside, police located six victims who had been killed in the shooting included a 39-year-old female teacher, three 12-year-old female students and two male students, ages 12 and 13.
One victim was found dead in a stairwell, while the others were found in the school’s library.
McDonald also confirmed that a female student believed to have died Tuesday en route to hospital did survive and is in hospital. She is one of the two victims flown to hospital; they are a 12-year-old girl, now in B.C. Children’s Hospital, and a 19-year-old girl.
A total of 25 people were also assessed at the scene for minor injuries, while approximately 100 students and faculty were evacuated to the nearby community centre.
B.C. Emergency Health Services said eight ambulances, six air ambulances and an operations director were sent to Tumbler Ridge Tuesday afternoon.
Paramedics transported two patients by air ambulance, one in critical condition and one in serious but stable condition, and treated several others who did not need to go to hospital.
BCEHS spokesperson Brian Twaites said a disaster psychological support team, part of Health Emergency Management B.C., is also helping victims through both pthe olice and the school district.
The shooter, who died of a self-inflicted injury inside the school, has also been identified as Jesse Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old transgender female living in Tumbler Ridge. Police also recovered a long gun and a modified handgun at the scene, and say the shooter acted alone.
The two individuals found dead inside a residential home a short distance from the school were confirmed to be Van Rootselaar’s mother, 39, and stepbrother, 11. McDonald said it was the residence where the suspect lived.
McDonald said investigators are still working to determine a motive and say they have not found any notes or messages left by the shooter.
Police believe the timeline of events began after an incident happened at the home between the family members on Tuesday, before the shooter made her way to the high school where the shooting unfolded.
Police were not notified about the scene at the home until after the shooting at the school had occurred, adding that a young female at the home went to the neighbours for help, who then called police.
McDonald said police could not discuss publicly the relationship between the shooter and those killed at the school, only that they are not related.
Police confirmed there was a “history of police attendance at the family residence,” some of them relating to mental health and others relating to firearms incidents.
McDonald said Rootselaar had previously been taken into custody for assessment under the Mental Health Act but that police’s most recent contact with Rootselaar was last year.
He confirmed that the shooter did have a gun licence but that it had expired in 2024, and did not have any firearms registered in her name.
Rootselaar began transitioning six years ago and dropped out of school four years ago.
— Stephanie Ip