18-Year-Old Suspect Massacres Students and Residents at Tumbler Ridge School and Home, Killing Nine

Tumbler Ridge shooting

On the afternoon of Feb. 10-11 in Tumbler Ridge, a remote town in northeastern British Columbia, gunfire struck two linked locations: Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a nearby home.

Local and national outlets reported multiple fatalities and dozens of injuries while authorities continued an unfolding investigation, and initial tallies varied as officials and media revised figures in the hours after the attack.

The Surrey Now-Leader said nine people were dead (including the suspect) and 27 injured across the two sites, while CBC reported nine dead and more than 25 injured and called it one of Canada's worst mass killings.

Other outlets recorded different totals: the Associated Press noted an earlier count of eight dead and more than 25 injured, and Radio-Canada and several broadcasters later reported as many as 10 deaths including the suspect, reflecting how casualty figures changed as investigators worked at multiple scenes and hospitals.

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School and linked killings

Law-enforcement accounts and on-the-ground reporting describe two connected crime scenes and a mix of victims at a school and a family residence. Multiple outlets said officers found six people at the school and two at a nearby home. CBC reported the school victims included a 39-year-old teacher, three 12-year-old girls, and two boys aged 12 and 13.

Radio-Canada and The Guardian reported two family members killed at the linked residence — a 39-year-old mother and an 11-year-old stepbrother. Survivors described students barricading classroom doors and hiding for hours before police escorted them out.

Folha de S.Paulo quoted a teacher saying he and students barricaded themselves in a garage-area workshop for more than two hours until police escorted them out. Investigators said they are still determining connections between victims and the attacker and are notifying next of kin as the probe continues.

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Media reporting discrepancies

Reporting about the suspect shows clear and consequential discrepancies between outlets. Several local and international briefs described the attacker as 'a female in a dress' or 'a brown‑haired woman,' and many early accounts referred to a female suspect. RNZ and multiple wire outlets used that description, while CBC and The Guardian reported police had identified an 18‑year‑old named Jesse Van Rootselaar and used that name and pronouns in their coverage.

The Guardian added that police were 'using the name and pronouns the suspect publicly uses' and noted the person was assigned male at birth and began transitioning about six years ago. Other outlets, for instance the BBC, emphasised that RCMP knew the person’s identity but had not released details, and some pieces noted confusion or corrections in media reports. Those differences matter for accuracy and for how victims, community members and advocacy groups understand motive, identity and background.

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Police response and investigation

Officials and journalists differed in the level of detail about the police response, weapons, and prior contacts. The RCMP and many outlets stressed a rapid police response. BBC and multiple outlets noted officers arrived within minutes and likely limited further harm.

AP and The Guardian reported officers came under fire and recovered two firearms at the scene: a long gun and a modified handgun. The Guardian and CBC reported police had previously conducted a welfare check at the family home and had seized firearms about two years earlier that were later returned, a detail some wire pieces did not mention. Investigators said the Major Crime Unit and additional resources were on scene while forensic work, victim notifications, and weapon provenance checks continued.

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Media and official responses

The national and international response mixed condolences, offers of help, and occasional reporting errors. Federal and provincial leaders were reported as offering support. CBC and several outlets described the prime minister as visibly upset in the House and ordering flags at half-mast.

Provincial officials pledged mental-health resources. At the same time, some outlets misattributed remarks or misidentified officials in early coverage. For example, Amu TV said it quoted Mark Carney as saying he was 'devastated' and had suspended a trip to Europe, but it misidentified him as Canada’s prime minister rather than noting Justin Trudeau holds that office.

Other coverage immediately connected the attack to renewed debate about firearms policy in Canada and the stresses on rural emergency services. Media accounts therefore vary in tone, ranging from community grief and detailed human stories to policy framing and, in some cases, factual errors that were later corrected.

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