Tumbler Ridge Shooting: Nine Dead in School Tragedy

TUMBLER RIDGE, BC — Nine people are dead after a shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Tuesday afternoon, with the shooter found deceased at the scene. Alberta emergency resources crossed the border into British Columbia as the crisis unfolded, including the Shock Trauma Air Rescue Service (STARS) dispatched from Grande Prairie.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police "E" Division is leading the investigation in what BC MLA Larry Neufeld called a "devastating" attack. RCMP "K" Division in Alberta activated inter-provincial protocols, demonstrating the cross-border emergency response framework that operates between the two provinces.

The Alberta Angle

Tumbler Ridge sits roughly 90 kilometres from the Alberta border, and the deployment of Grande Prairie-based STARS illustrates existing operational ties. The incident lands less than four months after Alberta passed its Back to School Act in October 2025, which established an Aggression Action Team to reduce classroom violence and mandated safer learning environments across the province.

Alberta has poured $1.6 billion into classroom safety and learning improvements in Budget 2025, including a $69 million Mental Health and Well-Being Grant rolled out last December. That money funds support staff and crisis intervention—investments Premier Danielle Smith's government framed as critical to preventing exactly this kind of violence.

What Happens Next

RCMP "E" Division continues to process the scene and has not released the identities of victims or the shooter. MLA Neufeld confirmed he is in direct contact with the BC Solicitor General to ensure provincial resources remain available.

The Alberta Teachers' Association has repeatedly flagged gaps in student safety and mental health support during debates over the Education Amendment Act, which came into full force in September 2025. Whether this incident triggers a review of Alberta's recent classroom safety investments—or the inter-provincial emergency protocols themselves—remains an open question.