2026 Tumbler Ridge shooting

Background and community

Tumbler Ridge is a small mining town in northeastern British Columbia with a population of 2,399 according to the 2021 census. The community's designated secondary school, Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, was operated by School District 59 Peace River South. For the 2025-26 school year, the school had 191 students enrolled in grades 7 through 12. The town was described by local councillor Chris Norbury in the aftermath of the shooting as an incredibly safe community where residents did not typically worry about crime. The incident occurred against a backdrop of strengthened Canadian gun control legislation, which had been reinforced following previous mass shootings, with a ban on certain assault-style firearms and a disposal deadline set for October 30, 2026. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police's Canadian Firearms Program is responsible for enforcing the Firearms Act.

The attacks

The sequence of violence began on the afternoon of February 10, 2026, at the Van Rootselaar family home on Fellers Avenue in Tumbler Ridge. Jesse Van Rootselaar shot and killed her mother, Jennifer Strang, and her 11-year-old half-brother with a shotgun. An eight-year-old half-brother survived the home attack and, along with neighbours, alerted police. According to the later US criminal complaint, co-conspirator James Cody Bryant was in contact with Van Rootselaar immediately after the home shooting, instructing her on how to start the family car since she did not know how to drive. A neighbour observed Van Rootselaar driving the car into a snowbank before she proceeded to the school.

Van Rootselaar then drove approximately 1.5 kilometres to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. At approximately 2:20 p.m. MST, the RCMP received reports of an active shooter at the school. An alarm instructed students to initiate a lockdown, and many barricaded classroom doors with tables. Van Rootselaar first killed a victim in a stairwell before moving to the school's library, where she killed five others. A 17-year-old student in the gym reported hearing 12 shots in quick succession. RCMP officers arrived at the school within two minutes of the initial reports, according to Premier David Eby. Van Rootselaar shot at the four responding officers before fatally shooting herself. Police recovered a modified handgun and a long gun at the school scene. The RCMP issued an Alert Ready emergency alert for the region at around 3:15 p.m., which was cancelled at 6:45 p.m.

Victims and aftermath

The attack resulted in eight fatalities, including the perpetrator. Six people were found dead inside the school, initially reported as seven before one victim survived after being transported to hospital. The school victims were identified as 39-year-old education assistant Shannda Aviugana-Durand, three 12-year-old female students, a 12-year-old male student, and a 13-year-old male student. The two victims at the family home were the perpetrator's mother, Jennifer Strang, and her 11-year-old half-brother. Twenty-seven other people were treated for injuries, with two suffering serious injuries.

One critically injured 12-year-old girl with multiple gunshot wounds to the head and neck was airlifted to British Columbia Children's Hospital in Vancouver. She required several surgeries and sustained a catastrophic brain injury that resulted in permanent cognitive and physical disabilities. She was released from intensive care in April 2026 after her condition stabilized. A Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service aircraft was dispatched from Grande Prairie, Alberta, to assist with medical evacuations. School District 59 announced that both schools in Tumbler Ridge would remain closed for the rest of the week following the shooting. Later, the district announced students would return to classes in portable facilities with trauma experts on site, with the expectation that they would not return to the secondary school building itself.

Perpetrator's background and online activity

RCMP deputy commissioner Dwayne McDonald stated there was no information to suggest she had been bullied at school. Van Rootselaar was estranged from her father, Justin Van Rootselaar, and used her mother's last name, Strang. The family had a history of custody disputes and had moved multiple times between Newfoundland and Labrador and Western Canada between 2010 and 2015. Van Rootselaar displayed a significant interest in guns and violent content online. Her YouTube profile picture featured an anime-style mascot and a rifle, and her TikTok account reposted videos of the 2023 Nashville Christian school shooter. Her mother had promoted her YouTube channel, noting her child posted about hunting and guns. Videos showed Van Rootselaar firing various firearms at shooting ranges. She held a minor's firearms licence that had expired in 2024, which only allowed for borrowing non-restricted firearms for approved purposes. She was not the owner of any firearms. RCMP confirmed that in a previous police visit within two years of the shooting, firearms were seized but later returned to the lawful owner after a petition, with a relative stating this occurred roughly a month before the attack.

Van Rootselaar's online activity extended to concerning platforms. About five months before the shooting, she created an account on WatchPeopleDie.tv, a gore video forum frequented by other mass shooters. She posted photos of firearms and videos of herself firing them. She also created a mall shooting simulator game on Roblox, according to platform administrators. Most notably, in June 2025, OpenAI banned a ChatGPT account belonging to Van Rootselaar after an automated review system flagged conversations describing scenarios involving gun violence over several days. About a dozen OpenAI employees debated turning the chat logs over to law enforcement, but company leadership, including CEO Sam Altman, overruled the recommendation, determining the activity did not meet criteria for reporting.

Van Rootselaar had documented struggles with drug use and mental health. She wrote on social media about regularly taking DMT and trying to burn her house down after using psychedelic mushrooms, which a family friend confirmed. After using psilocybin mushrooms in October 2023, she described a complete break from reality. She claimed to be treating ADHD and OCD with antidepressant and antipsychotic drugs. Police had responded to multiple mental health-related calls, including hospitalizations under the Mental Health Act. She had spent weeks receiving treatment in Prince George in 2023, and police last visited the home regarding mental health issues and self-harm in spring 2025.

Investigation and legal proceedings

The RCMP investigation began immediately, with over 100 personnel involved. Police initially believed Van Rootselaar acted alone and found no note or other communication. They recovered three firearms related to the shooting, two at the home and two at the school. The main firearm used at the school was of unknown origin and had never been seized by RCMP. Superintendent Ken Floyd stated there was no specific targeting of individuals at the school, rather the perpetrator was, for lack of a better term, hunting and engaging anybody she could contact.

Within days of the incident, the RCMP contacted the US Department of Homeland Security after receiving information from one of the online platforms used by the shooter, leading to an FBI investigation. On October 6, 2026, US authorities announced the arrest of 30-year-old James Cody Bryant of Bellingham, Washington, on a charge of conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country. According to the criminal complaint, Bryant and Van Rootselaar met on the random-pairing video chat app Omegle in 2023 and discussed preparation for the shooting in Discord direct messages from November 2025 to February 10, 2026. The complaint alleges Bryant provided advice, money, and agreed to livestream the attack. He allegedly sent a PayPal payment for Van Rootselaar to purchase a lighter for an explosive device. On the day of the attack, after the home shootings, Bryant advised Van Rootselaar on how to start the car to drive to the school. The complaint states Bryant tried to talk Van Rootselaar out of the attack but ultimately did not contact law enforcement. He was denied bail on October 13, 2026, with a judge citing serious mental health concerns and substance abuse problems.

Multiple lawsuits were filed in connection with the shooting. On April 29, 2026, families of victims filed a lawsuit against OpenAI. On September 2, thirty more lawsuits were filed on behalf of victims. In September 2026, the province of British Columbia sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in US District Court in California, alleging the shooting could have been prevented if the company had reported Van Rootselaar's violent ChatGPT conversations to law enforcement in June 2025.

Reactions and community impact

Canadian political leaders, including Prime Minister Mark Carney, Governor General Mary Simon, and BC Premier David Eby, offered condolences. Carney cancelled a trip to the Munich Security Conference and ordered flags on federal buildings flown at half-mast for seven days. He, along with other federal party leaders, visited Tumbler Ridge on February 13. Premier Eby promised families that students would not be forced to return to the high school building. The Canadian Olympic Committee and King Charles III also expressed condolences. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres expressed sympathy and solidarity.

The small community of Tumbler Ridge was profoundly affected. Mayor Darryl Krakowka noted he would know every victim personally due to the town's size. In the aftermath, some residents protested the lack of emergency health services in the community. The school district began the process of tearing down the school buildings months after the shooting. The incident also sparked online misinformation, including unsubstantiated claims about violence by transgender people and the incorrect use of photos of an unrelated Ontario woman with the same last name, who stated she became afraid to go outside as a result.

Questions about 2026 Tumbler Ridge shooting

What happened in the 2026 Tumbler Ridge shooting?

On February 10, 2026, Jesse Van Rootselaar shot and killed her mother and 11-year-old half-brother at their home in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. She then went to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where she killed six more people and injured 27 others before killing herself. The attack resulted in eight total fatalities. It was the deadliest mass shooting in Canada since the Nova Scotia attacks in 2020.

Was anyone else charged in connection with the shooting?

Yes. On October 6, 2026, US authorities arrested 30-year-old James Cody Bryant of Bellingham, Washington. He was charged with conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country. The criminal complaint alleges he met Van Rootselaar online, provided advice and money for the attack, agreed to livestream it, and instructed her on how to start her car after the initial home shootings. He was denied bail on October 13, 2026.

How did the community and government respond?

The small community of Tumbler Ridge was devastated, with local leaders noting the personal connections to all victims. Prime Minister Mark Carney and other federal party leaders visited the town. Premier David Eby promised students would not have to return to the school building, and classes eventually resumed in portable facilities with trauma support. Flags were flown at half-mast on federal buildings for a week, and a cross-border investigation between the RCMP and FBI was launched.

What weapons were used in the attack?

Police recovered multiple firearms. A shotgun was used at the family home. At the school, police recovered a modified handgun and a long gun. The RCMP stated the main firearm used at the school was of unknown origin and had never been seized by police in previous interactions. The perpetrator had held a minor's firearms licence that expired in 2024 but did not own any firearms herself.

How many people were killed and injured in the Tumbler Ridge shooting?

Eight people lost their lives in the shooting. This includes six people at the school, the perpetrator's mother, and her 11 year old half brother. Twenty seven other people were treated for injuries, including two with serious injuries. One 12 year old girl sustained a catastrophic brain injury that left her with permanent disabilities.

How did the police respond to the active shooter situation at the school?

The RCMP received a report of an active shooter at approximately 2:20 p.m. MST. Premier David Eby said police reached the school within two minutes of the initial reports. An Alert Ready emergency alert was released around 3:15 p.m. MST, asking residents to shelter in place. The police emergency alert was cancelled at 6:45 p.m. MST. The attacker shot at four responding RCMP officers before shooting herself.

Sources: Wikipedia and current public reporting, checked by the Nosy Mag desk. Last updated 2026-10-18.