The city of Ottawa:
A trans woman aged 18, who has mental health challenges, has been named as the perpetrator of a fatal shooting in British Columbia, Canada, which led to nine fatalities. Jesse Van Rootselaar murdered her mother and stepbrother before targeting her previous school, according to police, who did not provide a motive for what is considered one of the most severe mass killings in Canadian history.
The shooter took their own life following the incident on Tuesday in Tumbler Ridge, a secluded town with a population of 2,400 in British Columbia's Pacific region.
Regarding the Gunman
According to Police Commander Dwayne McDonald, as reported by news agency AFP, Rootselaar was a transgender woman who was assigned male at birth and left the targeted high school four years prior.
The officer stated that the shooter once possessed a firearms license that had expired, and the weapons had been taken from her home before being returned later.
Rootselaar has a background of mental health issues, with law enforcement having visited her residence multiple times to ensure her well-being.
According to McDonald, she was detained multiple times for evaluation under the provincial Mental Health Act. She previously attended the school where the incident occurred but left four years ago.
According to McDonald, law enforcement had visited the family home numerous times in recent years to address mental health issues related to the suspect.
The Gunfire Incident
In one of Canada's most severe mass shootings, nine individuals, including the gunman, lost their lives, and 24 others sustained injuries.
According to McDonald, Rootselaar initially murdered her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at their residence before proceeding to assault the school she had attended four years prior.
Authorities who arrived at the town's high school discovered six deceased individuals: a 39-year-old female teacher and five students, including three 12-year-old girls and two boys aged 13 and 12. One of the victims was located in a stairwell, while the others were believed by McDonald to have been found in the library. The suspect had no familial connection to any of the victims at the school, he stated.
McDonald stated that there is currently no evidence to suggest that anyone was deliberately targeted.
According to McDonald, the gunman, who was equipped with a long-barreled firearm and a pistol, was discovered deceased from "a self-inflicted gunshot wound" following the massacre. Authorities retrieved a long gun and an altered handgun at the scene of the crime.
He mentioned that the murders at the family residence were uncovered when another family member informed the neighbors.
McDonald stated that officers reached the school two minutes following the initial call. Upon their arrival, shots were also directed at them. However, the police mentioned that the reason behind the attack was still unknown.
Most Lethal Shooting
The assault was the most lethal in Canada since 2020, when a shooter in Nova Scotia took the lives of 13 individuals and ignited fires that resulted in the deaths of nine more.
In Tumbler Ridge, families including parents, grandparents, sisters, and brothers will face the day missing a loved one. The entire nation shares in your grief, and Canada supports you," expressed a visibly moved Prime Minister Mark Carney upon his arrival at Parliament.
Carney declared that flags at government sites will be flown at half-mast for a week and expressed, 'We will get through this.'s.'
Incidents of school shootings are uncommon in Canada due to its stringent gun-control regulations. In response to past mass shootings, the government has implemented gun-control measures, such as a recently expanded prohibition on all firearms classified as assault weapons.
A video captured students exiting with their hands up while police cars encircled the structure and a helicopter hovered above.
Mayor Darryl Krakowka of Tumbler Ridge described the news of the community's numerous deaths as 'devastating,' referring to the town as a 'big family.'
"Krakowka stated, "I was overwhelmed. Having lived here for 18 years, I likely know all of the victims."
The school district announced that both the high school and elementary school will remain closed for the remainder of the week.
Carney's office announced that he canceled his scheduled visits to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Munich, Germany. He was supposed to unveil a much-anticipated defense industrial strategy in Halifax on Wednesday before traveling to Europe for the Munich Security Conference.
On Tuesday, British Columbia Premier David Eby mentioned that he had a conversation with the prime minister regarding the 'unimaginable tragedy'.
He mentioned, 'I understand it's making us hold our children a bit closer this evening. I'm urging the residents of British Columbia to care for the people of Tumbler Ridge tonight.'