Warning: Contains disturbing details
Multiple witnesses told CTV News they saw FBI agents arrest James Cody Bryant at an apartment complex in Bellingham’s Roosevelt neighbourhood early Tuesday morning.
“They had guns drawn but they didn’t seem to be kicking down any doors or anything at that time,” said neighbour Adam Zukowski.
The arrest happened without incident, according to witnesses.
Bryant is now in U.S. federal custody and faces a charge of conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country. The charge carries a maximum penalty of life in prison.
According to court documents, the 30-year-old Bryant communicated online daily for months with 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar before the Feb. 10 attack in Tumbler Ridge that left eight people dead, including six children.
Investigators allege messages exchanged between the two discussed violence and the possibility of carrying out an attack. In one exchange included in court filings, Van Rootselaar allegedly wrote: “If I’m gonna throw my life away I may as well do it effectively. Take as many with as I can.”
Bryant allegedly replied, in part: “Just a pretty girl gunning people down.”
However, another exchange less than a week before the shooting appears to show Bryant attempting to discourage the plan.
“I’m just tired of waiting. Keep having to live additional days which I don’t wanna,” Van Rootselaar allegedly wrote.
“Yeah, but you don’t really need to do this,” Bryant allegedly responded.
Court documents allege Bryant later assisted Van Rootselaar on the day of the attack, including helping troubleshoot a failed attempt to livestream the shooting and offering advice after Van Rootselaar had trouble starting a vehicle.
Investigators say Van Rootselaar killed her mother and half-brother before driving to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where five children and a staff member were killed. Van Rootselaar later died by suicide.
Documents also show the pair discussing firearms. In one message, Van Rootselaar allegedly sent Bryant photos of a gun featuring trans-themed imagery. Bryant allegedly responded: “Love the stickers – stickers would be so funny to be seen in photos of the incident.”
Both Bryant and Van Rootselaar identified as transgender women. Investigators say they have not determined what role, if any, their gender identities played in either their friendship or the attack.
“I leave you to draw your own conclusions regarding the motivations,” said FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington on Tuesday. “What I took away when I was reading it was a focus on the shooter, the general suffering that the shooter was experiencing as one motivation, as well as a very keen focus on notoriety.”
The newly unsealed court documents also reference firearms that had previously been seized and later returned by RCMP, renewing questions about why the guns were returned.
RCMP Assistant Commissioner Elija Rain said publication bans related to ongoing court proceedings prevent police from discussing the weapons.
“We have two other court processes underway where there’s a publication ban on the weapons, so I’m not able to speak to the weapons until the courts make a determination on that decision,” Rain said.
RCMP say their investigation remains ongoing, including whether anyone else may have been involved in the planning or funding of the attack.
None of the allegations against Bryant have been tested in court.