Canada Reels After Deadliest School Shooting in Decades Leaves Nine Dead

A small town in northeast British Columbia has been rocked by Canada’s deadliest school shooting in decades, with at least nine people confirmed dead and dozens injured.

The tragedy unfolded on Tuesday afternoon at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, a school serving just 175 students in the remote mountain town of 2,400 residents. Police arrived to find six victims dead and multiple injured. Another person died while being transported to hospital, and authorities later discovered two more fatalities at a nearby home.

The alleged shooter, found dead at the school from a self-inflicted injury, has been described in emergency alerts as a brown-haired woman wearing a dress. Police have confirmed they know the suspect’s identity but have not released further details, including the suspect’s age.

Superintendent Ken Floyd, North District commander of the British Columbia Royal Canadian Mounted Police, acknowledged the shock and uncertainty gripping the community. “We are not in a place now to be able to understand why or what may have motivated this tragedy. We will try our best to determine what transpired,” he said.

Two victims were airlifted to hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries, while about 25 others received treatment at a local medical centre. Authorities have not released the names of the victims or indicated how many were children.

Mass shootings are rare in Canada, a nation with strict gun laws and low firearm ownership compared to the United States. In 2023, 38% of homicides in Canada involved firearms, compared with 76% in the US, according to national statistics.

Tumbler Ridge, a picturesque town nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, has been left in mourning. Mayor Darryl Krakowka described the community as tightly knit. “I don’t call them residents. I call them family,” he said.

Students at the school recounted scenes of fear and courage. Darian Quist, a Grade 12 student, told CBC that when the alarm sounded, he and his classmates barricaded the classroom doors with tables to protect themselves.

The shooting has prompted a wave of grief and reflection across Canada, highlighting the profound shock caused by gun violence in a country where such attacks are exceptionally rare.