An 18-year-old has been identified as the suspect in a mass shooting that left eight people dead and dozens more injured in British Columbia, Canada, authorities said.
Police said the suspect, Jesse Van Rootselaar, was found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The motive for the attack remains under investigation.
Six people were killed and at least 25 others injured in a shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Two additional victims — the suspect’s mother, 39, and stepbrother, 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,” Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald said.
Police said the shootings began at the family home before the suspect travelled to the school.
Those killed at the school included a 39-year-old female educator, three 12-year-old female students, and two male students aged 12 and 13, authorities said.
Investigators believe Van Rootselaar acted alone and said there are no other suspects.
Police confirmed they had responded to the suspect’s family home on multiple occasions over the past several years, some of which were related to mental health concerns.
Van Rootselaar was known to police, and authorities have begun contacting the public health care system to better understand any previous interactions.
“We’ve begun the process of reaching out to understand what interactions may have taken place,” British Columbia Premier David Eby said at a news conference outside Tumbler Ridge town hall late Wednesday.
McDonald said the suspect previously held a valid firearms licence, which had since lapsed. Police also confirmed Van Rootselaar had dropped out of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School four years ago.
At around 1:30pm local time (2030 GMT) on Tuesday, police received reports of an active shooter at the school. Officers arrived within two minutes, heard gunfire, and entered the building, McDonald said.
Within minutes, they located the suspect deceased from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Two firearms — a long gun and a modified handgun — were recovered at the scene, though police said it remains unclear how each was used.
Officers then began searching the school for victims. Two people were airlifted to hospital and remain hospitalized.
Tumbler Ridge is a remote community of about 2,400 residents. Its secondary school serves approximately 160 students in Grades 7 through 12.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said students and teachers “bore witness to unheard of cruelty,” noting that some victims remain in hospital “fighting for their lives.”
Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka described the town as a close-knit community.
“We’re one big family,” he said, urging residents to support one another. “Lend your ear when someone needs your ear. Lend your shoulder when someone needs your shoulder. Give somebody a hug.”
