Premier David Eby fought back tears Wednesday as he described the profound sadness and resiliency on display in the northern British Columbia community of Tumbler Ridge following one of the country’s deadliest mass shootings.
“It’s horrifying and inspirational at the same time,” Eby said less than three hours after arriving in the small mining town of roughly 2,500 residents.
The premier delivered his remarks outside the Tumbler Ridge town hall after attending a small vigil for the victims of the shootings, which left nine people dead, including the suspect, and more than two dozen others injured.
Most of the dead and injured were found inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, while the bodies of the shooter’s 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother were found at the family home.
Condolences have poured into the rural community from around the world after the shootings.
“No one is focusing on themselves here,” the premier said. “Everybody’s worried about somebody else.”
- Read more: Live Tumbler Ridge updates here.
The RCMP identified the shooter earlier Wednesday as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, saying officers had been called to the family home several times, including for complaints related to the shooter’s mental health.
Mounties had previously seized firearms from the home but they were eventually returned.
Eby said he has been briefed by the commissioner of the RCMP about their interactions with the suspect, and his government has been in touch with the Northern Health authority “to understand what interactions may have taken place” with her prior to the shootings.
“We all want to do all we can to understand what happened and to make sure that we’re taking any steps to prevent tragedies like this from happening again,” Eby said.
“Police are doing their investigation as part of the criminal process that they go through,” he added. “They will be able to share information with the public more and more as the days go on.”
Seven of the victims who were gunned down Tuesday afternoon were under 13 years old, and a 39-year-old teacher was also killed.
Federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree joined the premier at the news conference Wednesday night, as did the town’s mayor.
“As we mourn the deaths—senseless deaths—of so many young people, what we can do here as a federal government is support the local community,” Anandasangaree said.
“In this despair, there should be no division,” he added, marvelling at the number of children at the evening’s vigil. “Every one of those children there today are going to carry the scars of yesterday.”
Police said that Van Rootselaar had two guns with her when she entered the school and that she fired at officers before killing herself.
Two of the school shooting survivors sustained what police described as life-threatening injuries.
The B.C. government has declared Thursday an official day of mourning in the province, cancelling the planned throne speech in the legislature.