Tragedy Strikes Tumbler Ridge: Community Reels After School Shooting

Fri Feb 13 2026 03:49:01 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

In a shocking event, Tumbler Ridge faces a tragedy as nine individuals lose their lives and numerous others are injured in a shooting incident at a local secondary school. The tight-knit community grapples with fear and grief as they come to terms with the shocking reality of such violence in their peaceful town.

Tumbler Ridge, a small Canadian community, is in shock following a devastating shooting that left nine people dead and at least 25 injured. Eyewitnesses recount their harrowing experiences during the lockdown, while community leaders express their grief and concern for the future. Mayor Darryl Krakowka emphasizes the closeness of the community, stating, \"I don't call them residents. I call them family.\

People in the small Canadian town of Tumbler Ridge have reacted with shock and disbelief after nine people were killed and at least 25 wounded in a shooting at a local secondary school and home.

Members of the remote community, located 415 miles (667 km) northeast of Vancouver, spoke of their fear and uncertainty during the school lockdown, as no one appeared to be aware of the magnitude of what was unfolding.

They described how close the community of just 2,500 people was, and how devastated it would be by what had happened.

I will know every victim. I've been here 19 years, and we're a small community, town mayor Darryl Krakowka told Canadian broadcaster CBC. I don't call them residents. I call them family.

Chris Norbury, a town councillor, faced his own anxieties as his wife teaches at the secondary school, and his daughter attends the nearby elementary school. He described the lockdown situation and how he felt helpless while waiting for news of his family. It was terrifying, it's hard to put into words the dread and the fear that you feel knowing that a loved one is in danger, he remarked.

As the lockdown alarm echoed through the school, students barricaded their doors, attempting to shield themselves from the horror unfolding nearby. Bryan Castellarin's son, Ashton, recounted hearing gunshots while studying in class. They were huddled in a corner for two to three hours. It felt a lot lot longer, he shared.

Parents like Bryan Castellarin expressed relief and gratitude that their children emerged from the ordeal unharmed, while lamenting the fact that so many others were affected. The full extent of the tragedy continues to weigh heavily on the hearts and minds of the community.

Norbury reflected on the profound impact that such an event would have on the future of Tumbler Ridge. How many people will be afraid to go to school? How many will this affect for the rest of their lives? And it absolutely will, that's my fear, he voiced. In a call for resilience, he urged residents to seek help and support each other as they navigate this unfathomable loss together.