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Nine killed in Canada's deadliest gun attack
Police in British Columbia confirmed nine fatalities after a shooter opened fire at a secondary school and a nearby residence in the remote town of Tumbler Ridge on Tuesday. The suspect was also found dead at the scene.
Timeline of the attack
Emergency services received reports of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School at 1:20 p.m. local time (20:20 GMT). Officers arrived within two minutes, according to British Columbia's Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, Nina Krieger, who credited the rapid response with saving lives.
An immediate shelter-in-place order was issued for the town, while a lockdown was enforced at both Tumbler Ridge Secondary and the adjacent elementary school.
Victims and injuries
Six bodies were discovered inside the school, while two more victims were found in a residence linked to the incident. A ninth victim died en route to hospital. Two others were airlifted with life-threatening injuries, and approximately 25 people received treatment for non-critical wounds at the local medical centre.
Police continue to search properties in the area to confirm whether additional victims are involved. Authorities have not released the names or ages of those killed.
Suspect identified but motives unclear
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed the suspect's identity but withheld further details. The individual was found dead at the school from a self-inflicted injury. An earlier alert described the suspect as "a female in a dress with brown hair," though police have not publicly confirmed the gender.
Investigators are examining possible connections between the attacker and the school, as well as potential motives for the rampage.
Witness accounts and community reaction
Grade 12 student Darian Quist told CBC Radio that he and classmates barricaded their classroom doors after hearing lockdown alarms. "We got tables and barricaded the doors for over two hours," he said, until police escorted them out.
His mother, Shelley Quist, recalled hearing officers break down the classroom door before evacuating students. "I literally almost ran" to the community centre to reunite with her son, she said.
"I will know every victim. I've been here 19 years, and we're a small community. I don't call them residents. I call them family."
Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka
Town councillor Chris Norbury described the shock in the tight-knit community, where residents typically leave doors unlocked. "We know each other, we all know the victims. They are our friends, our friends' children," he told BBC Radio 4.
Political response
British Columbia Premier David Eby called the attack "a devastating and unimaginable tragedy," urging Canadians to "hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight." Prime Minister Mark Carney canceled a planned trip to Germany in response to the crisis.
About Tumbler Ridge
The remote community of 2,400 residents is located 670 km northeast of Vancouver. Known for its coal mines and dinosaur fossils, the town markets itself as a tourist destination for prehistoric discoveries and waterfalls.
