- Ten people, including the shooter, died in a school shooting in British Columbia
- At least 25 others were injured, with two airlifted to hospital in serious condition
- The school will remain closed this week and support is being provided to the community
Ten people, including the shooter, were killed and at least 25 were injured in a shooting at a school in Canada's British Columbia on Wednesday, police said.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) said the suspect, identified as a woman in a dress with brown hair in an earlier alert, has been found dead within the school premises with what is believed to be a self-inflicted injury.
Six people were found dead at the school, one died on the way to the hospital and two were found dead in a residence in the community, police said. Two people were airlifted to hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries.
The Tumbler Ridge police issued a 2 pm alert after the incident around 1.20 pm local time at the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, describing the suspect as a female in a dress with brown hair, per Globe and Mail. Residents were asked to shelter in place, lock their doors and refrain from going outside. The shelter-in-place order was lifted around five hours later, allowing people to return to their daily activities.
Cops continue to ascertain if a second suspect was involved and the number of possible victims. In the Tumbler Ridge town of about 2,400 people, additional police resources are being deployed from neighboring areas. The school will remain closed this week.
RCMP's North District chief superintendent Ken Floyd said around 100 people, including staff and students, were safely evacuated from the school. He added that the police is yet to understand what motivated the shooting. "We have multiple layers of support coming for our students, for our teachers, for our community of Tumbler Ridge," said Floyd.
Later, a class 9 student told Global News that he had to hide in a closet in a classroom with other children during the incident.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in statement on social media that he was devastated by the shooting in Tumbler Ridge. "I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens," he wrote.
Larry Neufeld, the member of the legislature for Peace River South, told reporters at the legislature that an "excess" of resources, including RCMP and ambulance support, have been sent to the community. "My thoughts are with the students, families, educators, and the entire Tumbler Ridge community. This is a small, close-knit town, and the impact of an event like this is felt by everyone," he said in a social media post.
British Columbia Premier David Eby assured every possible government support to the community. "Our hearts are in Tumbler Ridge tonight with the families of those who have lost loved ones," read a post by him.
The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from Grades 7 to 12.
Canada's government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. Tuesday's shootings were Canada's deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead.
