A peaceful mining town in northern Canada was shattered Tuesday by a mass shooting that left nine dead, including a teacher and five students at a local high school. Authorities identified the gunman as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, a transgender woman who first killed her mother and stepbrother at home before turning the weapon on her former schoolmates.

The nightmare unfolded around midday in this remote community of roughly 2,400 residents, nestled near the Alberta border. Rootselaar allegedly shot her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother inside their family home, prompting a frantic call from a relative that summoned police and neighbors. Minutes later, she stormed Tumbler Ridge Secondary School—where she had studied years earlier before dropping out—and unleashed chaos. Victims included a teacher and five young students: three 12-year-old girls and boys aged 12 and 13, most found in the library or a stairwell. Armed with a long gun and a modified handgun, Rootselaar took her own life as RCMP officers arrived, ending the 20-minute ordeal.

Commander Dwayne McDonald revealed Rootselaars history of mental health crises, including repeated welfare checks and Mental Health Act detentions at the family home. She once had a valid firearms license that expired, with guns briefly confiscated but returned. No manifesto or specific grudges have surfaced, leaving investigators probing for triggers in this seemingly random act of violence.

Twenty-four others remain injured, marking this as one of Canadas deadliest shootings—eclipsing the 2017 Quebec City mosque attack. Schools locked down, counseling hubs sprang up, and vigils lit the snowy streets as families grapple with unimaginable loss. British Columbia Premier David Eby called it every parents worst fear, vowing reviews of gun laws and mental health protocols in rural areas. This tragedy spotlights gaps in firearm oversight despite Canadas post-2020 handgun ban, echoing debates over red-flag enforcement seen in other nations. As autopsies and forensics continue, Tumbler Ridge unites in grief—our hearts go out to all affected. Updates to follow.

Disclaimer: This image is taken from NDTV.