Canada is reeling after a devastating shooting in the small northern town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia — a tragedy that has left nine people dead and at least 25 others injured.
The violence unfolded on Wednesday in two locations: Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a nearby residence. It is now being described as one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canada in decades.
Authorities confirmed that six victims were found deceased inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on February 10. A seventh victim died while being transported to the hospital. Police also located the suspected shooter inside the school, deceased from what appears to be a self-inflicted injury.
Two additional victims were discovered at a nearby home believed to be connected to the incident.
Tumbler Ridge is a remote community of approximately 2,400 residents, located about 415 miles north of Vancouver. The secondary school serves around 175 students, making the scale of the tragedy especially profound for such a close-knit town.
One Grade 12 student told CBC that during the chaos, classmates worked together to barricade doors with tables in an effort to stay safe
“It felt like I was somewhere that I had only seen across a TV,” the student said, capturing the disbelief felt by many in the community.
Ongoing Investigation
Chief Superintendent Ken Floyd of Canada’s federal police confirmed that the individual found dead at the school matched the description provided in an emergency alert sent earlier that day. The alert described a “female in a dress with brown hair.”
While authorities believe they know the identity of the suspect, no additional details have been released, including whether the individual had any direct connection to the school.
Investigators are still working to determine a motive.
“I think we will struggle to determine the ‘why,’ but we will try our best to determine what transpired,” Floyd said during a virtual press conference. “We are not in a place to understand why or what may have motivated this tragedy.
The RCMP stated that officers entered the school as part of their emergency response, located multiple victims, and discovered the suspected shooter during their search.
Officials have not yet released the names of the victims or confirmed what type of firearms were used.