TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — A devastating shooting at a secondary school in remote northern British Columbia has left nine people dead, including the suspected shooter, and more than 25 wounded, in one of Canada’s deadliest modern mass shootings.
The attack occurred on the morning of February 11 at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, approximately 600 miles northeast of Vancouver. Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirmed that seven victims died at the school scene or en route to a hospital. Two additional victims were found deceased at a nearby residence believed to be connected to the attack.
“The scene is devastating for a small community,” said RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd. The suspected shooter, identified by police only as an adult female, was also found dead at the school from what appears to be a self-inflicted wound. Investigators have not released a motive or clarified the relationship between the shooter and the victims.
Eyewitness video from the scene showed students evacuating with their hands raised as police vehicles and a helicopter secured the area. British Columbia Premier David Eby said police responded within two minutes of the first emergency calls.
The close-knit community of Tumbler Ridge, population roughly 2,700, has been shattered. “I have lived here for 18 years. I probably know every one of the victims,” said Mayor Darryl Krakowka, who broke down upon learning the death toll.
Local pastors and counselors gathered at a community recreation center to support families awaiting news. “Families are still waiting to hear if it’s their child that’s deceased,” said Reverend George Rowe of the Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church.
Prime Minister Mark Carney called the shooting an “unimaginable tragedy” and suspended an international trip. “I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today,” he posted on social media.
The Tumbler Ridge school district has closed all local schools for the remainder of the week. The incident marks Canada’s deadliest mass shooting since the 2020 Nova Scotia attacks, reigniting national debates on gun control in a country with strict firearms laws but recurring gun violence.
This report has been fact-checked and corroborated with official statements from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the British Columbia Premier’s office, and the Prime Minister’s office.
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