February 10 – A small northern British Columbia town is grappling with shock and grief after a deadly shooting at a local high school left ten people dead, including the suspected shooter. The violence, which also extended to a nearby residence, has become one of the most lethal mass casualty incidents in Canada in recent decades, a country where such attacks remain comparatively rare.
Authorities say the shooting unfolded on Tuesday afternoon in Tumbler Ridge, a remote community tucked into the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. What began as reports of gunfire at a high school quickly escalated into a multi-location emergency that would leave families waiting anxiously for news, students sheltering in lockdown, and a close-knit town facing an unthinkable tragedy.
The attack and immediate response
Police said 6 victims were discovered inside Tumbler Ridge high School, while two additional bodies were later found at a nearby residence believed to be connected to the suspect. Another victim died while being transported to hospital. At least two people remained hospitalized with serious or life-threatening injuries, while 25 people were treated for less severe wounds, according to information provided by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
The suspect was also found dead inside the school, apparently from a self-inflicted injury, police said during a briefing later that evening. Investigators stressed that they did not believe there were any additional suspects and said there was no ongoing threat to the public.
An emergency alert issued during the incident described the suspect as a female wearing a dress and having brown hair. Police later confirmed that the individual described in the alert was the same person found deceased at the school. Beyond that, authorities released few details, saying the investigation was still in its early stages and that identifying victims would take time.
“We will only release names once there is absolute and unequivocal identification,” a police spokesperson told CBC News, emphasizing the need to notify families properly before making information public.
Students inside the school described hours of uncertainty. Darian Quist, a 17-year-old student, said classrooms were placed under lockdown for more than two hours beginning shortly after 1.30 pm local time. He told CBC News that he did not hear gunfire himself, but later saw images shared by classmates showing blood-stained hallways and emergency responders moving through the building.
Outside, parents and relatives gathered at a local community center, waiting for updates on their children. Local pastor George Rowe, who was at the center offering support, described scenes of anguish and fear. “Many parents were just waiting for the news on whether their child had survived the shooting or not,” he told CBC News. “It’s something you never want to witness. The impact on families is devastating.”
Officials said the town’s small RCMP detachment responded within two minutes of receiving the initial call, a rapid response that provincial leaders later said likely prevented further loss of life. Even hours after the shooting, authorities said victim assessments were ongoing as medical teams continued to treat the injured.
Community, history, and national reaction
Tumbler Ridge is home to roughly 2,400 people and is known for its isolation, snowy winters, and strong sense of community. The secondary school serves about 160 students from grades seven through twelve. School officials announced that classes would be suspended for the rest of the week and that counseling services would be made available to students, staff, and families affected by the tragedy.
“This is a small, tight-knit community,” British Columbia’s public safety minister Nina Krieger told reporters, noting both the limited size of the local police force and the speed with which officers arrived at the scene. “They responded within minutes, and there is no doubt that lives were saved.”
British Columbia Premier David Eby expressed disbelief at the scale of the violence, telling reporters that incidents of this nature often feel distant to Canadians. “It’s the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places and not close to home,” he said, adding his condolences to the victims’ families.
The shooting has also drawn attention because of the suspect’s gender. Police said the shooter was described as female, an uncommon detail in North American mass shootings, which are overwhelmingly carried out by men. Authorities cautioned against speculation about motive, saying it was too early to draw conclusions.
Canada has generally experienced fewer mass shootings than its southern neighbor, in part because of stricter gun regulations. Firearm ownership is legal but requires licensing, and the federal government has introduced tighter controls on handguns and certain assault-style weapons since 2020. Those measures followed previous high-profile attacks, including the rampage in Nova Scotia that left 22 people dead and remains the deadliest mass shooting in Canadian history.
Despite these laws, Tuesday’s violence now ranks among the most deadly incidents the country has seen. Canada’s worst school shooting occurred in December 1989, when a gunman killed 14 female students at Montreal’s Ecole Polytechnique before taking his own life, an event that profoundly shaped national conversations about gun violence and gender-based hatred.
The tragedy in Tumbler Ridge has prompted responses at the highest levels of government. Prime Minister Mark Carney postponed a planned public announcement and international travel, his office said, in order to focus on the unfolding situation. In a statement posted on X, Carney said he was devastated by the shootings and offered his deepest condolences to those who lost loved ones.
As investigators work to piece together what led to the attack, residents of Tumbler Ridge are left to mourn and support one another. Vigils were expected in the coming days, and community leaders said long-term mental health support would be critical, especially for young people who experienced the lockdown and its aftermath firsthand.