The suspect killed in a shooting that left nine people dead in a small town in western Canada has been identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who was already known to police.
Officers found Van Rootselaar dead after the Tuesday afternoon shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School from what they believe was a self-inflicted wound. Six other people were killed at the school, including four 12-year-old students and a 13-year-old, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said.
Van Rootselaar is also suspected of killing her mother and half-brother, whose bodies were found in a residence, RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald told reporters at a news conference Wednesday.
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Police corrected the death toll to nine, after initially reporting it as 10. A young woman with serious injuries, who had initially been pronounced dead on the way to the hospital, actually survived.
The tragedy in Tumbler Ridge, a remote town more than 700 miles by road northeast of Vancouver, shocked Canada. It is one of the worst mass shootings in the country’s history, and the episode has drawn condolences from leaders around the world, including King Charles III.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has postponed a defense announcement and canceled plans to travel to Germany for the Munich Security Conference. Several members of his cabinet will come to Tumbler Ridge, along with British Columbia Premier David Eby. The House of Commons ended its session early after a minute’s silence and brief speeches from Carney and opposition party leaders.
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“Yesterday morning, parents in Tumbler Ridge sent their children to school, and some will never be able to hug them again. These children and their teachers witnessed unprecedented cruelty,” Carney said. “I want everyone to know this: our entire country stands with you.”
Carney appeared to be on the verge of tears when speaking to reporters earlier on Wednesday, calling the episode “a difficult day for our nation.” Canada’s flag will be flown at half-mast at Parliament House and federal buildings for the entirety of next week, he said.
“Devastation is the best word I can find,” Larry Neufeld, a provincial deputy who represents the region, told CBC radio. “And it’s still not strong enough.”
Tumbler Ridge has a population of about 2,600, and the high school has approximately 160 students.
According to police, the homicide at the residence happened first, and then the suspect moved to the school. Officers responded within two minutes to reports of an active shooter at the school around 1:20 p.m. Tuesday.
Van Rootselaar was born biologically male and, approximately six years ago, began transitioning to female, identifying as a woman, McDonald said.
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McDonald said police cannot yet talk about a possible motive. The investigation remains ongoing.
A long gun and a modified pistol were seized at the crime scene. “The police had already gone to this residence in the last two years, when firearms were seized under the Penal Code,” said McDonald. “The legal owner filed a request to have these weapons returned, and they were.”
There was a history of police calls at the family’s residence, and some of those calls were related to concerns about Van Rootselaar’s mental health, McDonald said. On different occasions, she was detained under the Mental Health Act and taken to hospital for monitoring, he said.
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She dropped out of school about four years ago, McDonald added.
About 25 people were treated for injuries that were not life-threatening, police said Tuesday. Two people who had been airlifted to the hospital were in critical but stable condition, according to McDonald.
As of Wednesday afternoon, a GoFundMe page had raised more than 75,000 Canadian dollars ($55,000) for a 12-year-old girl being treated for serious gunshot wounds at Vancouver Children’s Hospital.
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