Police identify suspect in deadly Canadian school shooting

German Press Agency

Police on Wednesday identified the suspected attacker in the deadly shooting at a school in western Canada as Jesse Van Rootselaar, who died by suicide after the shooting.

The police also revised the death toll from Tuesday’s mass shooting in the province of British Columbia down from 10 to nine people, including the alleged perpetrator.

Among them were a teacher, three female students and two male students, they said.

Two more bodies – belonging to the suspect’s mother and step-brother – were found in a house not far from the school. The 18-year-old is believed to have first killed her family members before making her way to the school. Police found the bodies in areas including a stairwell and the school library.

At least two of the injured are in a serious condition, according to police.

No information was initially provided about the motives. The relationship between the suspect and the victims is still part of the investigation, police said.

A police officer said emergency services had been called to the suspect’s home address several times in recent years. Weapons had also been seized during these visits, he said, adding that no weapons were currently registered in the suspect’s name.

He spoke of the suspect’s mental health problems, without giving further details. He also noted that the police were identifying the suspect as she has identified herself publicly and on social media, adding that she was registered as male at birth.

Police currently have no information about whether she experienced bullying or discrimination at school, he said. The suspect dropped out of school four years ago.

In a speech to the House of Commons on Wednesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described Tumbler Ridge, where the shooting took place, as “a town of miners, teachers, construction workers – families who have built their lives there, people who have always shown up for each other there.”