The mother of a teenage school shooter responsible for the deaths of eight individuals has been identified as one of the victims. Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, first killed her mother, Jennifer, and stepbrother at their residence before proceeding to fatally shoot six people and wound 25 others at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in the secluded town of Tumbler Ridge, located in British Columbia, Canada, on Tuesday afternoon.
Among the deceased at the school were three 12-year-old girls, two boys aged 12 and 13, and a 39-year-old female teacher, according to authorities. Additionally, two more victims, a 39-year-old woman and an 11-year-old boy – confirmed to be Van Rootselaar’s mother and stepbrother by law enforcement – were discovered in a nearby home shortly after the school shooting.
Following one of the deadliest mass shootings in the country, Van Rootselaar took her own life at the school, raising the death toll to nine. “This is a profoundly distressing incident where nine individuals have tragically lost their lives,” stated Royal Canadian Mounted Police Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald.
Police were alerted to an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School at 1:20 pm local time (8:20 pm GMT) and issued a warning to town residents to seek shelter. The suspect was described as a “female in a dress with brown hair.”
Law enforcement officers arrived at the scene within minutes of the shooting, encountering gunfire before locating victims in a stairwell and a classroom, as well as the shooter’s body.
“As officers approached the school, shots were fired in their direction. They entered the premises to neutralize the threat, and quickly found the individual, confirmed to be the shooter, deceased from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot,” said Mr. McDonald.
“The suspect has been identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, a resident of Tumbler Ridge. Two firearms, a long gun, and a modified handgun, were recovered.” Mr. McDonald clarified that Van Rootselaar had no connection to any of the victims at the school.
Subsequently, police visited Van Rootselaar’s family residence, where they discovered her mother and stepbrother deceased from gunshot wounds. Mr. McDonald explained that the home shootings occurred prior to the school attack.
When asked about Van Rootselaar’s gender identity, Mr. McDonald mentioned that the police were using the identification chosen by the individual publicly and on social media. “I can confirm that Jesse, initially a biological male, began transitioning to female approximately six years ago and identified as female in both social and public settings,” he added.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered an emotional speech in parliament, expressing solidarity with the nation in the wake of the tragic events. He assured the affected community that the entire country stood with them, representing all Canadians.
Additionally, Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree was designated to travel to Tumbler Ridge, a small town with fewer than 2,500 residents.
Darryl Krakowka, mayor of Tumbler Ridge, described the town’s community as a close-knit “big family.” He shared his emotional reaction, saying, “I broke down. I have lived here for 18 years. I probably know every one of the victims.”
This incident marks the second-deadliest school shooting in Canadian history, following the 1989 tragedy where 14 young women were killed in a misogynistic attack at Montreal’s L’Ecole Polytechnique.
