Canadian authorities has named the suspect in a shooting that resulted in the deaths of eight people in addition to the alleged shooter herself in British Columbia, Canada. The person linked to the school massacre was identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar on Wednesday.
Jesse Van Rootselaar was ultimately found dead in what “appeared to be a self-inflicted injury,” as per the police’s public statement. The motive for the attack has yet to be uncovered.
At the scene of the Canada shooting, authorities located two firearms – a long gun and a modified handgun, as per the multiple international reports. Each of their roles in the incident have yet to be determined.
The victims included a 39-year-old female educator, three female students (all aged 12), and two male students (one aged 12 and the other 13), as per the BBC.
Who was Jesse Van Rootselaar?
At a press briefing, Dwayne McDonald, a deputy commissioner at the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia, said the suspect was born as a biological male and chose to identify as a woman. The official further divulged that the suspect began her transition to female about six years ago. She was a resident of Tumbler Ridge.
The incident reportedly involving Rootselaar took place at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where six people were killed and at least 25 others injured, as per the BBC. Meanwhile, two others, the suspect’s 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old step-brother, were found dead at a nearby home.
The shooting is said to have occurred first at the nearby residence and then at the school, as per McDonald. Most of the students killed in the school were found in the library and one was located in the stairwell.
As per the police’s admissions on Wednesday, authorities had been to the suspect’s family home on multiple occasions over the past few years. Some of those calls were related to mental health concerns.
According to the police, Jesse Van Rootsellar had dropped out of the same school where the shooting occurred this week – Tumbler Ridge Secondary School – four years ago. She is previously believed to have had a valid gun license. The RCMP deputy commissioner said at the briefing that the license had since lapsed.
About the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School shooting
Tumbler Ridge happens to be a close-knit community with about 2,400 residents. Its secondary school has 160 students in Grades 7-12, as per the BBC. Even Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowk said that having been in the “small community” for 19 years, people therein are seen more as a “family” than “residents.”
As per a statement on the British Columbia shooting released by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, authorities received a report of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School at around 1:20 pm.
Offering an update on the fatal shootings, it stated: “Police from Tumbler Ridge RCMP and surrounding detachments immediately attended, with members from the local detachment arriving within two minutes of the initial call. Upon arrival, there was active gunfire, and as officers approached the school, rounds were fired in their direction.”
“Officers entered the school to locate the threat. Within minutes an individual, confirmed to be the shooter, was located deceased with what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury. The suspect has been identified as 18-year-old, Jesse Van Rootselaar, who is a resident of Tumbler Ridge.”
RCMP further noted, “BC RCMP Major Crime has assumed conduct of the investigation and is working to determine the full circumstances surrounding this tragic incident. There has been speculation within the community regarding the relationship between the shooter and some of the victims. All of that remains part of the active investigation, and we are not in a position to publicly confirm any specifics at this time.”
Officers eventually evacuated over 100 students and faculty to a local community centre. Those with potential injuries were taken to the local medical clinic for triage and assessment. Two victims, on the other hand, seemed to have sustained significant injuries. They were transported to hospital via air ambulance.