Ten people, including the suspect, were killed in a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed devastation as RCMP continue their investigation.
A view of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, where a mass shooting left 10 people dead, including the suspected shooter, according to RCMP. | X
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “devastated” by the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, where nine people and the suspected shooter (a total of 10) were killed on Tuesday afternoon after gunfire erupted at a secondary school and a nearby residence.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) responded to reports of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School around 1:20 pm local time. At least 25 others were injured. Police have said there is no ongoing threat to the public.
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Carney said he had reached out to British Columbia Premier David Eby and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree as federal authorities coordinate support for the remote community of about 2,400 residents, located roughly 660 kilometres northeast of Vancouver. The investigation into what happened and why is continuing.
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According to RCMP and CBC News, six victims were found dead inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. One person died while being transported to hospital, and two additional bodies were discovered at a nearby residence believed to be linked to the incident. The suspect was found dead inside the school from what police described as a “self-inflicted injury”.
In an earlier public alert sent to mobile phones across the area, police described the suspect as a woman in a dress with brown hair. RCMP North District Chief Supt. Ken Floyd later confirmed that the individual found dead inside the school matched that description.
Two people were airlifted to hospital in serious or life-threatening condition, while about 25 others were treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the local health centre. Access to the centre was briefly restricted before operations were expected to resume the following day, CBC News reported.
Police have said they do not believe there are any other suspects and that there is no ongoing risk to the public. Officers continue to search homes and properties in the community as part of the probe. Authorities have not released the ages of the victims and have declined to confirm whether the suspect was a minor or an adult, citing privacy concerns.
Floyd said investigators are “following all leads to try to determine the connection to the shooter” and acknowledged the difficulty of establishing motive. “I think we will struggle to determine the ‘why’, but we will try our best to determine what transpired,” he said.
During the incident, both the secondary school, which serves around 160 students in grades 7 to 12, and a nearby elementary school were placed under a “hold and secure” lockdown. Around 100 students and staff inside the secondary school were safely evacuated during the police response, according to the RCMP.
Both schools, along with Northern Lights College’s campus located at the secondary school, will remain closed for the week as authorities focus on reuniting families and advancing the investigation, CBC News said.
“This was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation, and the swift co-operation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response,” Floyd said. He added, “Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragic incident. This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the co-operation shown as officers continue their work to advance the investigation.”
Reacting to the tragedy, Carney posted on X: “I am devastated by today’s horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence.”
He added, “I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens. Our ability to come together in crisis is the best of our country, our empathy, our unity, and our compassion for each other.”
Carney said he had personally contacted Premier Eby and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree. “Our officials are in close contact with their counterparts to ensure the community is fully supported as best we can. The Government of Canada stands with all British Columbians as they confront this horrible tragedy,” he wrote.
Additional RCMP officers, including members of the Major Crime Unit, have been deployed to Tumbler Ridge to support the investigation. Former RCMP major crimes investigator Bruce Pitt-Payne told CBC’s Hanomansing Tonight that police are likely to apply lessons learned from the 2020 Portapique mass shooting in Nova Scotia, which left 22 people dead.
“There’s a lot that has changed for the better since Portapique and we’re seeing it every time one of these happens,” Pitt-Payne said. “The police are going to have their work cut out for them right now.”
The District of Tumbler Ridge urged residents to lean on one another in the coming days, stating: “In the days ahead, we know this will be difficult for many to process. Please check in on one another, lean on available supports, and know that Tumbler Ridge is a strong and caring community. We will get through this together.”
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