Home / Crime and Justice / Canada School Shooting: 8 Dead, Transgender Gunman Kills Self
Canada School Shooting: 8 Dead, Transgender Gunman Kills Self
13 Feb
Summary
- A transgender gunman murdered eight people before taking his own life.
- Victims included the gunman's mother, stepbrother, teacher, and four students.
- Two young girls remain in critical condition after the school massacre.
A tragic mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia has resulted in the deaths of eight individuals, making it the second deadliest school shooting in Canadian history. The gunman, identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who had been living as female for six years, died by suicide at the school.
Prior to the school attack, Van Rootselaar fatally shot his mother, Jennifer, and his 11-year-old stepbrother, Emmett, at their home. Among the other victims were a 39-year-old female teacher, and four students aged between 12 and 13: Kylie Smith, Abel Mwansa Jr., and Ezekial Schofield.
Two students, Maya Gebala and Paige Hoekstra, both 12, sustained critical injuries and remain in hospital. A total of 25 people were injured during the massacre. Investigations are ongoing, with authorities confirming mental health concerns had been noted at the family home and that firearms, once confiscated from the home, had been returned.
