A gun attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia has left seven people dead, while two additional bodies were discovered at a nearby residence linked to the incident, authorities confirmed Tuesday. Police say the suspected female shooter also died, reportedly from a self-inflicted injury.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reported that more than 25 people were wounded in the school shooting, with two victims airlifted to hospital in critical condition. Officers arrived at the scene within two minutes, according to British Columbia Premier David Eby.
Footage from the scene showed students exiting the building with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the school and a helicopter hovered overhead. Authorities said six victims were pronounced dead at the school, while another died en route to hospital. Two more fatalities were later confirmed at a nearby home believed to be connected to the suspect.
RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd stated that investigators have identified the female suspect but are withholding her name. The motive behind the attack remains unclear, and police are working to determine how the victims were connected to the shooter.
Tumbler Ridge, a town of roughly 2,700 residents located more than 1,000 kilometers north of Vancouver near the Alberta border, is reeling from the tragedy. Mayor Darryl Krakowka described the community as a “big family” and said he likely knew many of the victims personally.
Local pastor Rev. George Rowe said families gathered at a recreation center awaiting updates, describing the atmosphere as heartbreaking as parents waited to learn whether their children were among the deceased. Rowe, a former teacher at the school whose three children graduated from there, said the halls of the school would never feel the same again.
Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed devastation in a social media statement, offering condolences to the victims’ families and praising first responders for their bravery. His office confirmed he has postponed planned trips to Halifax and Munich in light of the tragedy.
The attack marks Canada’s deadliest mass shooting since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 22 people in a rampage that shocked the nation. School shootings remain rare in Canada, which has introduced stricter gun control measures in recent years, including an expanded ban on certain assault-style firearms.
