• Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, opened fire in Tumbler Ridge, killing eight, including her mother and stepbrother.
• Van Rootselaar had a history of mental health issues and prior police contact.
• The attack is Canada’s deadliest shooting since 2020.

Canadian authorities identified the shooter in a tragic school shooting as Jesse Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old who had previously been apprehended under the provincial Mental Health Act. The shooting occurred on February 10 in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, claiming the lives of eight people, including Van Rootselaar, who subsequently died by suicide. The attack also left more than 25 others injured, marking it as one of the worst mass shootings in Canada's history, according to Channel News Asia and South China Morning Post.

In a series of tragic events, Van Rootselaar first killed her mother, aged 39, and her 11-year-old stepbrother before heading to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. The victims within the school included a 39-year-old teacher and five students aged between 12 and 13. Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald stated that officers arrived at the scene within two minutes of the first report but found Van Rootselaar dead from a self-inflicted injury. The community is now mourning those lost in this senseless act of violence, as highlighted by BBC and Le Monde.

Authorities have noted that Van Rootselaar had a known history of mental health difficulties and had previously been assessed multiple times by police for these concerns. The police had also confiscated firearms from her residence years earlier but had returned them later after a successful appeal by the owner. Observers emphasized that despite Canada's stringent gun laws, the tragedy prompts some to question public safety and mental health responses, as discussed by Al Jazeera and India Times.

The incident, described as "devastating" by Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka, has shocked a close-knit community where nearly everyone is connected to the victims. Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his sorrow and ordered flags at federal buildings to be flown at half-mast, reinforcing that "Canada mourns together" with the community of Tumbler Ridge following this unimaginable tragedy, according to South China Morning Post and Channel News Asia.