Hours after one of the worst mass shootings in Canadian history, B.C. Premier David Eby urged people across the province to throw their support behind those grieving in Tumbler Ridge.
“We can’t imagine what the community is going through, but I know it’s causing us all to hug our kids a little bit tighter,” Eby said at a news conference in downtown Vancouver.
“Wrap these families with love—not just tonight, but tomorrow and into the future. This is something that will reverberate for years to come.”
Authorities have confirmed 10 people died Tuesday, including a suspect, in the northern B.C. community, located at the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
Eighter were killed at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, while two of the deceased were found at a local home.
Some 25 others were injured, including two who were airlifted to hospital.
While few details about how the shooting unfolded have been confirmed, early reports of the tragedy have reminded many Canadians of the types of school shootings that have become more common south of the border.
“This is the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places, and not close to home,” Eby said.
In another briefing earlier on Tuesday, the RCMP declined to provide any details on the shooting suspect, except that the individual appears to have died of a self-inflicted wound.
Eby said he had no additional details to share.
“In the days to come, we’ll look at this incident, try to understand what kind of opportunities there are to learn from an unspeakable tragedy like this,” the premier said.
“For tonight, it’s about making sure that those families are receiving all the supports that they can.”
RCMP Victim Services have been sent to the community, and additional investigative resources were dispatched to assist local law enforcement with their investigation into what happened.
Speaking alongside Eby, B.C. Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger applauded the officers from the Tumbler Ridge RCMP detachment who responded to Tuesday’s shooting and arrived at the scene “within two minutes of receiving the call.”
“That speed and professionalism saved lives today,” Krieger said.