Guns RETURNED After Seizure—Then Mass Murder

Canada’s deadliest school shooting in decades exposes disturbing failures in mental health oversight and firearm protocols, as authorities confirmed an 18-year-old trans woman killed eight innocent victims despite a documented history of mental instability and prior weapon seizures.

Story Snapshot

Jesse van Rootselaar killed mother and step-brother at home before attacking Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, murdering six more and injuring 27
RCMP confirmed firearms were previously seized due to mental health concerns but returned to legal owner, despite shooter’s expired gun license
Authorities identified shooter as trans woman in official press conferences, contradicting claims of prioritizing gender identity over public safety
Tragedy marks Canada’s deadliest mass shooting since 2020 and deadliest school attack since 1989, raising urgent questions about mental health intervention gaps

Deadly Rampage Devastates Remote Community

Jesse van Rootselaar, 18, unleashed carnage on February 10, 2026, in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, a close-knit town of approximately 2,700 residents. The rampage began at a private residence where van Rootselaar murdered her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old step-brother before proceeding to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. At approximately 1:20 p.m., RCMP received reports of an active shooter at the school, which serves roughly 175 students in grades seven through twelve. Within two minutes, police arrived on scene, but van Rootselaar had already killed six individuals inside the school and wounded 27 others before dying by self-inflicted gunshot wound. The attack concluded around 5:45 p.m. when emergency alerts were cancelled.

System Failures Allowed Armed Individual Access Despite Red Flags

The shooting exposed critical failures in Canada’s supposedly strict gun control system. Van Rootselaar had a documented history of mental health issues with multiple police responses over recent years. Authorities had seized firearms within the past two years under criminal code provisions, yet these weapons were returned to their lawful owner. Van Rootselaar held a legal gun license that expired in 2024, raising questions about how an individual with known mental health concerns and an expired license could access firearms. Two weapons—a rifle and a modified handgun—were recovered at the school. The shooter had dropped out of school around 2022, further indicating a troubled background that should have triggered more robust intervention.

Mental Health Crisis Ignored Until Too Late

RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald and Superintendent Ken Floyd confirmed van Rootselaar acted alone with no manifesto, clear motive, or evidence of school bullying. The shooter began transitioning approximately six years prior, around 2020. Despite repeated mental health calls and police contacts, the system failed to prevent this tragedy. For families who value community safety and accountability, this case highlights how bureaucratic processes can supersede common-sense protections. The fact that weapons were seized and then returned demonstrates a fundamental breakdown in safeguarding vulnerable populations and innocent citizens. Mayor Darryl Krakowka expressed the community’s devastation, noting he personally knew every victim in this “big family” town.

National Mourning and Calls for Accountability

Prime Minister Mark Carney cancelled trips to Halifax, Germany, and Munich, ordering flags flown at half-mast for seven days as the nation mourned. BC Premier David Eby praised the rapid police response, emphasizing officers reached the school within two minutes of the initial report. One 12-year-old girl was airlifted to BC Children’s Hospital among the 27 injured. Schools in the district closed for the remainder of the week as investigators worked to understand victim connections and firearm sourcing. This tragedy marks Canada’s deadliest mass shooting since the 2020 Nova Scotia attacks, which claimed 22 lives, and the deadliest school shooting since the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre. The community now faces the long-term implications of reviewing mental health and firearm seizure protocols that demonstrably failed to protect innocent lives, demanding answers about how such preventable loss occurred under systems designed to prevent exactly this outcome.