Violence shattered the calm of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia’s fossil-rich mining town, when a mass shooting at its high school left nine dead, including the suspect who committed suicide afterward. Details emerging paint a picture of swift horror in this serene locale.
Federal police chief Superintendent Ken Floyd, commanding the RCMP’s northern operations, revealed seven fatalities inside the school and two in a neighboring house. The gunman—alerted as a brown-haired woman in a dress—was found dead at the scene.
Floyd’s virtual conference underscored the heroism in safely evacuating 100 students and staff. Critically injured duo were airlifted for urgent care; 25 others got on-site medical checks.
Prime Minister Mark Carney decried the ‘ghastly violence’ on X, while Premier David Eby promised unwavering aid, calling it an ‘inconceivable tragedy.’ Motive probes continue without disclosure of the perpetrator’s status.
Home to roughly 2,400 souls, Tumbler Ridge boasts dinosaur tracks among its attractions, now overshadowed by tragedy. Canada’s sparse history of mass shootings recalls 1989’s Montreal (14 killed) and 2020 Nova Scotia (22 dead).
As the community huddles in shock, Floyd affirmed dedication to truth-seeking, offering a beacon of accountability in chaos.