Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, scene of a deadly shooting in British Columbia
A shooting at a secondary school and nearby residence in the remote mountain town of Tumbler Ridge left nine people dead and 27 injured on Tuesday, Canadian authorities confirmed.
Two of the injured sustained serious wounds, while the rest suffered non-life-threatening injuries, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said.
Police said the shooter, whose identity has not been officially released, died from a self-inflicted injury. While Canadian media reported the suspect was female, the RCMP declined to confirm any details.
The attacks began at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in the afternoon, prompting an active shooter alert. Police discovered six people shot dead inside the school, and a seventh victim died en route to the hospital.
Separately, two more bodies were found at a nearby residence “believed to be connected to the incident,” authorities said.
Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his devastation over the tragedy, calling it a “horrific act of violence.” He announced he was suspending his plans to attend the Munich Security Conference, where he had been scheduled to discuss transatlantic defence readiness.
The town of Tumbler Ridge, a picturesque community in the foothills of the Rockies, is grappling with shock and grief.
In a statement, the municipality said: “There are no words sufficient for the heartbreak our community is experiencing tonight.”
Students and families described tense and frightening moments. Darian Quist, a student at the school, told CBC he was in his mechanics class when the lockdown announcement was made.
“At first, I didn’t think anything was going on,” Quist said, “but then I started receiving disturbing photos about the carnage at the school. It set in what was happening.”
Quist remained in lockdown for more than two hours until police entered the school, instructing students to raise their hands before safely escorting them out. His mother, Shelley Quist, said she embraced her son after the ordeal.
“He’s not going to be out of my sight for a while now,” she told CBC.
Trent Ernst, a local journalist and former substitute teacher at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, described the community as shocked but resilient. “There’s been troubled kids here in town before,” he said, noting that one of his own children recently graduated from the school.
Authorities have not yet released the ages of the victims or further details about the shooter as investigations continue.
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