Share and Follow
Tragedy struck a small town in British Columbia on Tuesday, as a shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School resulted in eight fatalities, including the suspect. Canadian authorities have further linked the incident to another grim discovery of two bodies at a nearby residence, bringing the death toll to ten.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police reported that over 25 individuals sustained injuries in the chaos, with two victims critically wounded and fighting for their lives. School shootings are a rare occurrence in Canada, adding a layer of shock to this devastating event.
Tumbler Ridge, a close-knit community with a population of approximately 2,400, is situated over 1,000 kilometers (around 600 miles) north of Vancouver, adjacent to the Alberta border. The impact of such violence has rippled through this ordinarily peaceful town.
In an official statement, the RCMP detailed their immediate response to the active shooter situation. Officers quickly entered the school to neutralize the threat and discovered the lifeless bodies of multiple victims. Among them was the suspected shooter, who appeared to have died from a self-inflicted wound.
“As part of the initial response to the active shooting, police entered the school to locate the threat. During the search, officers located multiple victims. An individual believed to be the shooter was also found deceased with what appears to be a self‑inflicted injury,” RCMP said in a statement.
“Six additional individuals, not including the suspect, have been located deceased inside the school. Two victims have been airlifted to hospital with serious or life‑threatening injuries. A third victim died while being transported to hospital.”
The Peace River South School District said earlier Tuesday that there was a “lockdown and secure and hold” at both the secondary school and the Tumbler Ridge Elementary school.
Larry Neufeld, the member of the legislature for Peace River South, told reporters at the legislature that an “excess” of resources, including RCMP and ambulance support, have been sent to the community.
He said he didn’t want to release any more information over concerns that it might jeopardize the safety of the ongoing operation.
The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from Grades 7 to 12.