Tumbler Ridge Shooting: 18-Year-Old Identified as Suspect

Thu Feb 12 2026 09:05:06 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

An 18-year-old named Jesse Van Rootselaar has been identified as the suspect in a tragic shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. The incident left eight people dead and several others injured.

Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, has been identified as the shooter responsible for a harrowing incident that resulted in eight fatalities at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. The suspect was found deceased at the scene with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, while authorities believe the attack began at a nearby residence. The motive remains unclear, and the community mourns the loss of multiple victims, including young students.

An 18-year-old has been named as the suspect in a shooting that killed eight people and injured dozens more in British Columbia, Canada.

Police said Jesse Van Rootselaar was found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot injury. The motive for the attack is not yet known.

Six people were killed and at least 25 others were injured at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Two others - the suspect's mother, 39, and step-brother, 11 - were found dead at a nearby home.

Authorities said Van Rootselaar was born a biological male but identified as a woman.

I can say that Jesse was born as a biological male who approximately six years ago began to transition to female, Dwayne McDonald, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) deputy commissioner, said.

The shooting at the nearby home occurred first, then the suspect went to the school, McDonald said. The victims at the school included a 39-year-old educator and three female students aged 12, as well as two male students, aged 12 and 13.

Authorities do not believe there are other suspects involved in the shootings. Police disclosed that they had attended the suspect's family home multiple times over the past few years, with some visits related to mental health concerns.

Jesse Van Rootselaar previously possessed a valid gun license, but it has since lapsed. Furthermore, the police reported that he had dropped out of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School four years ago.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed condolences for the victims, stating that they bore witness to unheard of cruelty, noting that some victims remain in hospital fighting for their lives. In a small community like Tumbler Ridge, Mayor Darryl Krakowka remarked that he would likely know every victim due to the close-knit nature of the community.