First Images Released of Suspected Tumbler Ridge School Shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar

The first photographs have emerged of Jesse Van Rootselaar, the 18-year-old suspected of carrying out one of the deadliest school shootings in Canadian history.

On Tuesday, February 10, Van Rootselaar allegedly fatally shot six individuals and wounded 25 more at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. This tragic event ranks as the second-deadliest school shooting in Canada, following the 1989 massacre at Montreal’s L’École Polytechnique, where 14 students were killed.

Among the images released is a worrying photo of Van Rootselaar smiling while holding a rifle. It has not been confirmed when the photo was taken.

The victims confirmed by police include three 12-year-old girls, two boys aged 12 and 13, and a 39-year-old female teacher. Additionally, police identified two other victims—39-year-old Jennifer Strang and an 11-year-old boy—as Van Rootselaar’s mother and stepbrother, both of whom were allegedly shot prior to the school attack.

Authorities also confirmed that Van Rootselaar, who identified as transgender and used female pronouns, died by a self-inflicted gunshot at the school, bringing the total death toll to nine.

Residents of Tumbler Ridge, a remote community of about 2,400 people in the Rocky Mountain foothills, were alerted on Tuesday afternoon to shelter in place due to an active shooter. Initial police alerts described the suspect as a “female in a dress with brown hair.”

Officers entered the school, found Van Rootselaar deceased, and recovered two firearms—a long gun and a modified handgun.

When asked about Van Rootselaar’s gender identity, Deputy Commissioner McDonald stated that the police respected the suspect’s chosen identification in public and on social media. He added, “Jesse was born biologically male and began transitioning socially and publicly to female about six years ago.”

The community remains in shock as investigations continue into this tragic event.