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OAN Staff Brooke Mallory
1:41 PM – Wednesday, February 11, 2026
A mountain community in northeastern British Columbia has been devastated by a shooting that left at least nine people dead, including the shooter, and 25 injured. The attack, which unfolded Tuesday at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a nearby residence, is described by officials as one of the deadliest mass casualty events in modern Canadian history.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed that the shooter, identified as 18-year-old Jesse van Rootselaar, who also went by “Jesse Strang,” died at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald later stated on Wednesday that the initial count of 10 victims, announced by police on Tuesday, was incorrect since one victim, who was in extremely critical condition and believed to have died during an airlift, was later successfully resuscitated by medical staff.
The official death toll was then revised down to 9 people — 8 victims plus the shooter.
- 6 victims at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School – 1 teacher, 5 students.
- 2 victims at the suspect’s residence – mother and step-brother.
- 1 suspect – Jesse van Rootselaar, dead by suicide.
On Wednesday, after initially describing the shooter as a “female in a dress,” RCMP noted that they “identified the suspect as they chose to be identified in public and social media,” admitting that “Jesse was [actually] born as a biological male.”
“Juno News spoke directly with Russell G. Strang, Jesse Strang’s uncle, who confirmed Jesse was transgender and responsible for the shooting that left 10 people dead, including the suspect. A public YouTube account believed to be owned by Jesse features the transgender flag and uses ‘she/her’ pronouns,” CTV News reported, before the victim count was updated.
The tragedy began shortly before 1:20 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
According to investigators, the transgender shooter first opened fire at a private residence in Tumbler Ridge. Police later discovered the bodies of the suspect’s mother, 39, and 11-year-old step-brother at this location.
Twenty minutes after 1 p.m., the shooter arrived at the secondary school, which serves roughly 175 students. Armed with a “gun and a modified handgun,” the assailant entered the building and abruptly began firing, officials added.
RCMP officers arrived within two minutes of the initial active shooter report, according to the police report. Upon entering the building, they discovered a harrowing scene, as a teacher and students’ bodies laid on the floor in blood. The students were reportedly ages 12-to-13.
During the initial chaos of the response on Tuesday, the RCMP and emergency services reported that 10 people had died. This included a report that a seventh victim from the school had passed away while being transported to the hospital. However, during a formal press conference on Wednesday, McDonald corrected the record.
That surviving victim reportedly remains in critical condition at BC Children’s Hospital in Vancouver. She was identified by her family as 12-year-old Maya Edmonds. After being initially reported as a fatality during the chaotic airlift from Tumbler Ridge, Maya was resuscitated and continues to “fight for her life,” according to her mother, Cia Edmonds.
The young student is reportedly being treated for severe injuries, including gunshot wounds to the head and neck. A family GoFundMe page has already raised over $18,000 to support her recovery, as the community clings to hope for the student.
During the heat of the “shelter-in-place” order, an emergency alert was sent to residents describing the suspect as a “female in a dress with brown hair.” However, in a press conference on Wednesday, Deputy Commissioner McDonald provided further clarity on the shooter’s identity, noting that Rootselaar was a biological male who had “transitioned approximately six years ago” and “identified as a woman.”
The RCMP, however, emphasized they would continue to use female pronouns to respect the deadly shooter’s gender identity. Investigators also stated that while the gender dysphoric shooter had a history of mental health-related calls with police and a firearms license that expired in 2024, “no motive has yet been established.”
“We are not in a place to understand why or what may have motivated this tragedy,” said RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd. “I think we will struggle to determine the ‘why,’ but we will try our best to determine what transpired.”
The scale of the loss has since paralyzed Tumbler Ridge, a tight-knit town of roughly 2,400 people. Mayor Darryl Krakowka, who has lived in the community for nearly two decades, expressed the collective heartbreak. “I will know every victim,” he said. “I don’t call them residents. I call them family.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the nation from Ottawa, announcing that flags on federal buildings would be flown at half-staff for seven days. He has cancelled upcoming travel to the Munich Security Conference to remain in the country.
The investigation remains active, led by the RCMP Major Crime Unit. While the school remains closed, a local recreation center has been converted into a reunification and counseling hub for survivors and families.
While firearms are not entirely banned in Canada, they are governed by some of the world’s most stringent regulations. Most bolt-action rifles and shotguns used for hunting remain legal, but other categories face severe restrictions. A national freeze currently prevents civilians from buying, selling, or transferring handguns, while a series of mandates since 2020 has prohibited over 2,500 models of semi-automatic firearms.
These measures build upon a long-standing ban on fully automatic weapons, effectively limiting legal ownership to specific sporting and utility use. Unlike the U.S., Canada does not recognize a constitutional right to bear arms, and firearms are considered a privilege. Consequently, Canadian authorities do not recognize self-defense as a valid reason to acquire a firearm license. Since the freeze on handguns and the broad prohibition of many semi-automatic platforms, it is now nearly impossible for new owners to legally obtain these types of firearms, making Canada’s laws among the strictest in the Western world.
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