SUMMARY
- Nine people were killed in a British Columbia school shooting in Tumbler Ridge.
- The suspected shooter was found dead at the scene with a self inflicted injury.
- The attack marks one of Canada’s deadliest school shootings in decades.
TUMBLER RIDGE, British Columbia — Nine people were killed and dozens wounded Tuesday after a shooting at a secondary school and a nearby home in northeast British Columbia, authorities said, in what officials described as the worst school shooting in Canada in decades.
Police said most of the victims were found at the school in Tumbler Ridge, a town of about 2,400 residents in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
Two additional bodies were discovered at a home in the township. The suspected shooter, identified by police but not publicly named, was found dead at the school with what authorities described as a self inflicted injury.
The violence unfolded early Tuesday afternoon at the community’s secondary school, which enrolls about 175 students in grades seven through 12.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police said six people were pronounced dead at the scene, while another victim died en route to hospital.
Two victims were airlifted with life threatening injuries, and about 25 others were treated at a local medical center.
Authorities declined to confirm the age of the suspected shooter and did not release a possible motive. The investigation remains active, police said.
Mass shootings are rare in Canada, which maintains stricter gun laws than the United States.
According to Statistics Canada, firearms were involved in 38 percent of homicides in Canada in 2023, compared with 76 percent in the United States, based on police reported data from each country’s Uniform Crime Reporting programs.
Gun ownership rates also differ significantly. Data from the Small Arms Survey estimates 35 firearms per 100 residents in Canada, compared with 121 per 100 residents in the United States.
The scale of the British Columbia school shooting has intensified national debate over community safety and mental health services, particularly in rural areas where emergency response times can be longer.
David Eby, premier of British Columbia, said during a news conference that the province was “in shock” and pledged support services for affected families.
“This is a tragedy that has deeply shaken our province,” Eby said. “Our priority is ensuring the community receives the support it needs.”
Wendy Cukier, president of the Coalition for Gun Control and a professor at Toronto Metropolitan University, said Canada’s firearm regulations have historically limited large scale attacks but warned that no system is immune.
“Canada has comparatively strong gun laws, but enforcement and monitoring remain critical,” Cukier said. “Rural communities may face unique vulnerabilities, including access challenges and fewer preventative services.”
Christian Leuprecht, professor at the Royal Military College of Canada and senior fellow at the Macdonald Laurier Institute, said the rarity of such incidents heightens national trauma.
“When mass violence occurs in Canada, it has an outsized psychological impact because it challenges public assumptions about safety,” Leuprecht said.
Darryl Krakowka, mayor of Tumbler Ridge, said the close knit town was devastated.
“I will know every victim,” Krakowka told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. “I don’t call them residents. I call them family.”
Darian Quist, a 12th grade student, said he and classmates barricaded themselves inside a classroom for nearly two hours before police escorted them out.
“The reality of it all is starting to set in,” Quist said. “Everything is still very fresh.” World leaders also expressed condolences.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the attack had “deeply shaken us,” while Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he was “shocked” by the deaths of children.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron also offered messages of solidarity.
Police said investigators are reviewing evidence from both locations and conducting interviews to establish a timeline and possible motive.
Provincial authorities have deployed trauma counselors and victim services teams to Tumbler Ridge.
The British Columbia school shooting has left a small mountain community grieving and a country confronting an act of violence that remains rare within its borders.
As investigators continue their work, officials have emphasized support for survivors and families while reaffirming Canada’s longstanding commitment to public safety.
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