Tragedy Strikes Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in Deadly Shooting Incident
In a horrific event that shattered the peace of a rural British Columbia community, students at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School were forced to barricade themselves in classrooms as an active shooter opened fire on Tuesday afternoon. The shooting rampage claimed the lives of six victims: a 39-year-old female teacher and five students—three 12-year-old girls and two boys aged 12 and 13.
Chaos and Fear Inside the School
The serene setting of Tumbler Ridge, with bright sunshine reflecting off fresh snow and surrounding pine forests, stood in stark contrast to the terror unfolding within the school walls. Witnesses described scenes of chaos, fear, and confusion as the lockdown was announced.
Jarbas Noronha, a grade 12 auto mechanics teacher, recounted how a student entered his garage classroom reporting gunshots, quickly followed by the principal's lockdown order. Noronha and approximately 15 students immediately barricaded the garage doors using metal benches.
"We were in the safest part of the school," Noronha told The New York Times. "If someone tried to break in through the hallway door, we would run to the yard through the garage doors."
Students' Desperate Measures for Survival
Throughout the school, students took desperate measures to protect themselves. Darian Quist, a 17-year-old student, described building barricades at classroom doors using tables while he and classmates planned potential escape routes.
"It was definitely tense," Quist told CBC News. "I think we were all very nervous... trying to keep each other motivated and not fall into grief. But once people sent me some photos, at that point it set in what was actually happening."
The uncertainty about the danger outside their classrooms created an atmosphere of heightened anxiety as students waited for updates and communicated with worried parents.
Community Response and Police Identification
As news spread from the school into the community, parents gathered outside while students called family members and police. Trent Ernst, publisher of the Tumbler RidgeLines community newspaper, was broadcasting live from outside the school when he reported seeing police vehicles arriving with flashing lights.
"There is a report of an active shooter," Ernst said calmly during his livestream. "As I was just about to go live, two cop cars just came zooming by towards the school and an emergency alert went out, so this is not a rumour."
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police issued a public alert about the shooting and later identified the suspected shooter as Jesse Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old biological male who had begun transitioning to female approximately six years earlier. The school, which serves about 160 students from grades seven through twelve, became the center of a massive emergency response.
Aftermath and Ongoing Investigation
The shooting has left the small community of Tumbler Ridge reeling as authorities continue their investigation into the motives and circumstances surrounding the attack. The incident highlights ongoing concerns about school safety and emergency preparedness in educational institutions across Canada.
As families grieve and the community comes to terms with the tragedy, questions remain about how such violence could occur in this remote British Columbia town. The emotional impact on students, staff, and residents will likely be felt for years to come as they process this devastating event.
