In one of the worst mass shootings in Canadian history, an 18-year-old transgender woman killed eight people, including six children, before killing herself.
As grieving families grapple with the loss, new details are emerging about the gunman’s mental health issues and his past history with the police, USA TODAY reports.
The attacker has been identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, a transgender person who began transitioning six years ago, Dwayne McDonald, deputy commissioner of the Canadian Police, confirmed at a press conference.
On Tuesday, Van Rootselaar first killed his 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old half-brother in his home in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, about 1,100 kilometers north of Vancouver. He then went to a local high school and, according to police, began shooting at random.
Five people were killed in the school – three 12-year-old girls, one 12-year-old boy, one 13-year-old boy and a 39-year-old teacher. McDonald clarified that five people were killed at the school, not six as originally reported, because a woman who was taken to hospital in critical condition was mistakenly counted among the dead.
When the police arrived at the scene, just two minutes after the shooting, Van Rootselaar fired in their direction. The officers ran into the building, where they found the attacker dead. He committed suicide, and a rifle and a modified pistol were found next to him.
McDonald said police had made “several” calls to Jesse Van Rootselaar’s home over the past few years because of concerns about his mental health. A few years ago, police seized a firearm from the home and took Van Rootselaar to a hospital for an evaluation under the Canadian Mental Health Act.
McDonald said police last visited the home last year and they don’t know if Van Rootselaar was actively getting help for his mental health issues.
Speaking about the confiscation of the weapon, he explained that “later, the legal owner requested the return of the weapon, which was granted.” He added that no firearm was registered in the attacker’s name.
The motive of the attack is still unknown
According to McDonald, there is currently no information to suggest that Van Rootselaar was a victim of abuse. He dropped out of Tumbler Ridge High School four years ago, but it’s not clear why.
Investigators have not found a farewell letter that would shed light on the motive for the attack and believe he did not specifically target anyone at the school. They also believe that he acted alone.
“We don’t have any information on a motive at this time,” McDonald said. “It is something we are investigating intensively, but it would be premature to speculate on a motive at this time.”
A disturbing internet history
The Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) Center on Extremism said their preliminary findings showed Van Rootselaar “followed a disturbing pattern of online radicalization.”
His activity on the Internet was “characterized by an interest in white supremacist ideology and a self-proclaimed addiction to morbid content.”
The ADL said he had an “extensive digital trail on various platforms,” including a site where users can view footage of beheadings, torture, rape and executions.
In a report released last year, the ADL warned that two recent mass murderers had accounts on the site and were “increasingly embracing extremist ideologies, including adopting white supremacist views.”
The page, they claim, “serves as a virtual space where users, especially young people, can access extremist content with graphic violence, which potentially desensitizes them and increases the risk of ideologically motivated violence.”
Mother supported trans rights and gun ownership
On her Instagram profile, the attacker’s mother wrote in July 2024 that she supports the protection of transgender children and criticized “internet warriors”.
“As a conservative libertarian who lives in the north and loves life in a small town, I really hope the hate I see online is just a product of old people’s boredom and not actual hate. Be better and educate yourself,” she wrote.
She also published content about weapons on her Facebook profile. She once posted a picture of six rifles as a profile photo with the comment: “I think it’s time to take them out for target practice.”
In a July 2021 post, she invited followers to check out her son Jesse’s YouTube channel.
“He posts about hunting, self-sustainability, guns and things he likes to do. It’s his way of sharing his life,” she wrote.
YouTube removed the channel yesterday for violating community guidelines.
Investigators are looking into all aspects of the case, including how Van Rootselaar obtained the weapon despite his mental health issues. As families mourn their loved ones, the two surviving victims are in critical condition and fighting for their lives, McDonald said.
The community of Tumbler Ridge, which has a population of about 2,400, is devastated and is trying to provide support to all those affected. In front of the school, on the window of which you can see a rainbow-colored flag with the message “Everyone is welcome here”, bouquets of flowers and stuffed toys were left.
“I’ll know every victim, we’re a small community,” Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka told CBC News, adding:
“I don’t call them residents, I call them family.”
(Vijesti.ba)
