The small northern town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, is grappling with heartbreak after one of Canada’s deadliest school attacks in decades. The BC Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have confirmed the identities of the victims from the February 10, 2026, mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, as the community mourns the nine lives lost.
Among the victims was 12-year-old Kylie May Smith, remembered by family as a bright, compassionate girl taken far too soon. Her aunt, Shanon Dycke, spoke publicly about the family’s devastation. Funds raised in Kylie’s memory are intended to support her mother, Desirae Smith, her brother Ethan, and other relatives with funeral expenses and travel costs.
Investigators have identified 18-year-old Jesse van Rootselaar as the shooter. According to RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, van Rootselaar was found deceased inside the school, believed to have inflicted the fatal injury himself.
Authorities also confirmed two additional victims at a residence linked to the suspect—his mother and 11-year-old stepbrother. Their names have been withheld at the family’s request.
Inside the school, the tragedy claimed the life of a teacher and several students. Some victims were found in the library, others in a stairwell. The total death toll stands at nine victims, not including the shooter.
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