Tumbler Ridge Shooting: Canada's Deadliest Rampage Since 2020
Nine dead in BC's deadliest mass shooting since 2020. RCMP recovers two firearms.
TUMBLER RIDGE, BC — Nine people are dead, including the 18-year-old shooter, and over 25 injured after yesterday's rampage at a school and nearby home in this remote British Columbia town. It's Canada's deadliest mass shooting since 2020.
The Scene
RCMP recovered two firearms: a long gun and a modified handgun. The shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, targeted both a school and a residential property they owned.
The Bigger Picture
This attack strikes at the heart of Canada's gun control debate. Bill C-21, which received Royal Assent in December 2023, enacted a national handgun freeze and reclassified 179 assault-style firearms as prohibited. "Red flag" and "yellow flag" laws now allow temporary licence suspensions for domestic violence or stalking concerns.
The federal Assault-Style Firearms Compensation Program launched nationwide last month. The buyback operates on existing 2025-2026 budget allocations — no new funds — while an amnesty order protects owners of newly prohibited firearms from criminal liability until October 30, 2026.
What's Next
RCMP continue investigating how Van Rootselaar obtained the deadly weapons. Public Safety Canada's 2025-2026 departmental plan includes $2.16 billion in planned spending, with $260.28 million allocated specifically for the gun buyback's Phase 2 compensation.
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