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Tumbler Ridge school shooting

Tumbler Ridge school shooting

Force in Play
By Newzino Staff |

Canada's Deadliest School Attack Since 1989

February 11th, 2026: RCMP Identifies Shooter

Overview

Canada had not experienced a school shooting of this magnitude in 37 years. On February 10, 2026, an 18-year-old former student killed two family members at a home in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, then attacked the local secondary school, leaving nine people dead including the shooter and 27 wounded. Police arrived within two minutes of the first call; by then, the attack was already over.

Key Indicators

9
Fatalities
Eight victims plus the shooter, making this Canada's deadliest school shooting since 1989
27
Injured
Two airlifted with life-threatening injuries; 25 others treated for non-critical wounds
2 min
Police Response Time
RCMP officers arrived at the school within two minutes of the first 911 call
37 years
Since Last Comparable Attack
The Γ‰cole Polytechnique massacre in Montreal in 1989 killed 14 women

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People Involved

Jesse Van Rootselaar
Jesse Van Rootselaar
Shooter (Deceased (self-inflicted gunshot))
Mark Carney
Mark Carney
Prime Minister of Canada (Leading federal response)
David Eby
David Eby
Premier of British Columbia (Coordinating provincial response)
Dwayne McDonald
Dwayne McDonald
RCMP Deputy Commissioner (Leading investigation)
Jennifer Strang
Jennifer Strang
Victim (Shooter's Mother) (Deceased)

Organizations Involved

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (British Columbia)
Royal Canadian Mounted Police (British Columbia)
Law Enforcement Agency
Status: Leading investigation

Canada's national police force, responsible for law enforcement in British Columbia including the Tumbler Ridge detachment.

TU
Tumbler Ridge Secondary School
Educational Institution
Status: Closed for remainder of week

A public secondary school serving the community of Tumbler Ridge, located in northeastern British Columbia.

Timeline

  1. RCMP Identifies Shooter

    Investigation

    Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald identified the shooter as Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, a former student with a history of mental health issues.

  2. Death Toll Corrected to Nine

    Investigation

    RCMP corrected the death toll from ten to nine after one critically injured victim survived. Eight victims plus the shooter died.

  3. Carney Addresses Parliament

    Political Response

    The Prime Minister spoke to the House of Commons, announced flags at half-mast for seven days, and cancelled his Munich Security Conference trip.

  4. Federal Ministers Dispatched

    Political Response

    Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree and Housing Minister Gregor Robertson were sent to Tumbler Ridge to lead the federal response.

  5. Family Members Killed at Home

    Attack

    The shooter killed her mother, Jennifer Strang (39), and 11-year-old stepbrother at the family residence in Tumbler Ridge.

  6. 911 Call Reports Active Shooter at School

    Emergency

    Tumbler Ridge RCMP received a report of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.

  7. Police Arrive at School

    Response

    RCMP officers arrived within two minutes. They encountered active gunfire and rounds fired in their direction as they approached.

  8. Shooter Found Dead Inside School

    Resolution

    Officers located the shooter deceased from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Six people were dead at the school, with 27 injured.

  9. Emergency Alert Issued

    Public Safety

    RCMP issued a Police Initiated Public Alert asking Tumbler Ridge residents to shelter in place.

  10. Emergency Alert Cancelled

    Public Safety

    RCMP cancelled the shelter-in-place order after confirming no additional threats.

  11. Prime Minister Issues Statement

    Political Response

    Prime Minister Mark Carney called the shooting 'devastating' and expressed condolences to victims' families.

  12. Premier Eby Addresses Province

    Political Response

    B.C. Premier David Eby praised the RCMP's rapid response and promised provincial support for the community.

Scenarios

1

Government Introduces New Mental Health Intervention Legislation

Discussed by: Globe and Mail, CBC News analysts

The shooter's documented mental health history and multiple police visits to the family home may prompt legislation strengthening early intervention mechanisms. Similar patterns preceded other Canadian mass shootings, and the investigation's findings about what authorities knewβ€”and whenβ€”could drive policy changes around involuntary psychiatric holds and information sharing between police and health agencies.

2

Renewed Push for Stricter Firearms Licensing Enforcement

Discussed by: Gun control advocacy groups, National Post

The shooter's firearms licence had expired in 2024, yet two weapons were recovered. This gap may lead to calls for more aggressive enforcement of licensing lapses and mandatory storage inspections. The modified handgun raises additional questions about illegal firearm modifications and smuggling.

3

Investigation Reveals Systemic Failures, Prompts Inquiry

Discussed by: Opposition politicians, victim advocacy groups

If the investigation determines that warning signs were ignored or that existing intervention mechanisms failed, pressure could mount for a public inquiry similar to the Mass Casualty Commission that investigated the 2020 Nova Scotia attacks. This would examine police protocols, mental health services, and inter-agency communication.

4

Community Trauma Reshapes Tumbler Ridge's Identity

Discussed by: Local officials, trauma specialists interviewed by CTV

A mining town of 2,400 people losing five children and a teacher will bear deep scars. The community, already struggling with economic transition after mine closures, may see population decline or, alternatively, could rally around support networks that strengthen civic bonds. Long-term mental health support will be critical.

Historical Context

Γ‰cole Polytechnique Massacre (1989)

December 1989

What Happened

On December 6, 1989, Marc LΓ©pine entered the engineering school at Γ‰cole Polytechnique in Montreal with a semi-automatic rifle. He separated male and female students, declared he was 'fighting feminism,' and systematically shot women throughout the building. He killed 14 women and wounded 14 others before dying by suicide.

Outcome

Short Term

The massacre prompted immediate national mourning and the first major push for gun control reform in Canada.

Long Term

December 6 became the National Day of Remembrance and Action on Violence Against Women. The tragedy directly led to the Firearms Act of 1995, which introduced licensing requirements, registration, and restrictions on certain weapons.

Why It's Relevant Today

The Tumbler Ridge shooting is the deadliest Canadian school shooting since Polytechnique. Both involved attackers with documented mental health issues and legally questionable access to firearms, and both have reignited debates about gun control and early intervention.

La Loche School Shooting (2016)

January 2016

What Happened

On January 22, 2016, a 17-year-old student killed two brothers at a home in La Loche, Saskatchewan, then attacked the local community school, killing two educators and wounding seven. The shooter, who had fetal alcohol spectrum disorder and had struggled academically, was the same age as the Tumbler Ridge attacker.

Outcome

Short Term

The shooter pleaded guilty to four murders and seven attempted murders, receiving the maximum youth sentence of life imprisonment with a ten-year period of parole ineligibility.

Long Term

The shooting prompted discussions about mental health services in remote Indigenous communities and the challenges of early intervention in small, isolated populations.

Why It's Relevant Today

Both La Loche and Tumbler Ridge are remote communities where the shooter had documented mental health issues and killed family members before attacking a school. Both raise questions about mental health resources in isolated Canadian communities.

Nova Scotia Attacks (2020)

April 2020

What Happened

Over 13 hours on April 18-19, 2020, a 51-year-old man posing as a police officer killed 22 people across rural Nova Scotia. He drove a replica RCMP cruiser and used illegally obtained firearms, many smuggled from the United States.

Outcome

Short Term

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau immediately banned approximately 1,500 assault-style weapons via order-in-council.

Long Term

The Mass Casualty Commission's 2023 report issued 130 recommendations covering police communication, domestic violence intervention, and firearms smuggling. Many recommendations remain unimplemented.

Why It's Relevant Today

The Nova Scotia attacks were Canada's deadliest mass shooting in modern history. The subsequent inquiry's findings about firearms access and intervention failures provide a framework for evaluating the Tumbler Ridge case.

Sources

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