Canada school shooting suspect identified as 18-year-old with prior police mental health contacts
Canada is mourning after eight people were killed in a school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. The 18-year-old suspect, who had prior mental health contacts with police, was found dead. More than 25 others were injured.
- Police identified the Canada school shooting suspect as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar.
- Authorities said she had a history of mental health-related police visits.
- Investigations are ongoing, with motive yet to be established.
Canadian authorities have identified the suspect in the 10 February 2026 school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted wound.
According to local media reports, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald confirmed the suspect’s identity on 11 February 2026, a day after the attack in the remote mountain community.
Deputy Commissioner McDonald said Van Rootselaar had a history of mental health-related contacts with police prior to the incident. Officers had previously attended her home to check on her wellbeing, though further details were not disclosed.
The motive for the attack remains unclear, and investigators are continuing to examine the sequence of events leading up to the shooting.
Police said Van Rootselaar first killed her mother and stepbrother at the family home before proceeding to the nearby secondary school.
Authorities have clarified that eight people were killed in total, correcting an earlier statement that listed nine fatalities.
More than 25 people were injured during the attack.
At the school, victims included a 39-year-old teacher and five students aged between 12 and 13.
Police said the suspect was not related to any of the victims at the school.
“There is no information at this point that anyone was specifically targeted,” Deputy Commissioner McDonald said.
Officers arrived at the school within two minutes of the initial emergency call. Police reported that shots were fired in their direction upon arrival.
Authorities recovered a long gun and a modified handgun at the scene. It has not yet been confirmed how the firearms were obtained.
Tumbler Ridge, home to approximately 2,700 residents, is located more than 1,000km northeast of Vancouver near the provincial border with Alberta. The local secondary school has around 175 students enrolled in grades 7 to 12, according to provincial records.
Prime Minister Mark Carney addressed the nation on 11 February 2026, expressing condolences to families and the wider community.
“Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you, and Canada stands by you,” he said.
Flags at federal government buildings will be flown at half-mast for seven days, the Prime Minister announced.
The revelation that the suspect was 18 years old and had prior mental health interactions with police has prompted renewed discussion about early intervention systems and information-sharing protocols.
Deputy Commissioner McDonald did not elaborate on the nature or frequency of previous police visits, citing the ongoing investigation.
National debate on gun laws reignited
The incident has renewed attention on gun control laws in Canada. Despite having stricter firearm regulations compared to the United States, Canada has witnessed several mass shootings in recent years.
In 2022, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau introduced a “freeze” on handgun sales and purchases, among other legislative measures, aiming to reduce gun-related violence nationwide.
This latest event is likely to prompt further debate regarding the adequacy and enforcement of current laws, and whether additional restrictions are required.
