OTTAWA, Feb 11 — A tiny town in western Canada is in shock after a school shooting that killed multiple people. Police said the shooter was an 18-year-old woman, Jesse Van Rootselaar, who had mental health problems and before going to the school she had allegedly killed her own mom and stepbrother and the reason behind this was not disclosed.
Van Rootselaar ended her own life at the scene on Tuesday in Tumbler Ridge, a town of about 2,400 people in British Columbia. At first, police said 10 people died, but later they said it was 9, including her.
The police said they had visited her house before about her mental health a few times over the years. School shootings are almost never a thing in Canada, so the news shocked everyone.
Prime Minister Mark Carney looked upset and said, “We will get through this. We will learn from this.” He also postponed a trip to Europe and made flags fly at half-mast for a week.
The mayor of Tumbler Ridge, Darryl Krakowka said the town is like one big family. “Listen to people when they need you. Give them a hug”.
Police said Van Rootselaar who was born male but had identified as female for 6 years, first killed her 39-year-old mom and 11-year-old stepbrother at home.
Then she went to the school and shot a teacher, 39, and five kids and three girls and two boys, ages 12 and 13. Many others were hurt. One 12-year-old girl, Maya, was in really bad condition after being shot in the head and neck.
People in the town said this was unbelievable. “Everybody knows everybody here. People don’t even lock their doors,” one resident said. Police also said guns had been taken from Van Rootselaar’s house a few years ago but were given back after a court appeal. She had a gun license before but it expired last year.
This is one of the worst shootings in Canada’s history. Past ones include the 2020 Nova Scotia attack where 22 people died, and the 1989 Montreal shooting at a women’s school that killed 14.