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UPDATE: 9 dead including suspect in B.C. school shooting

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Eight people were killed in one of the deadliest school shootings in Canadian history.

That includes three girls and two boys between the ages of 13 and 17 and one female teacher at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in B.C.

RCMP Deputy commissioner Dwayne McDonald identified the shooter as 18-year-old woman Jesse Van Rootselaar of Tumbler Ridge.

“Two firearms, a long gun and modified handgun were recovered by responding officers. Determining the origin of these firearms and what role they played in the shootings remain a significant part of the ongoing and active investigation,” said the deputy commissioner.

The shooter also killed her mother and step-brother at a separate residence.

RCMP responded to the school within two minutes, and were met with gunfire from inside the school.

The suspect is believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Over 100 students and faculty were evacuated to a nearby recreation centre once RCMP determined it was safe.

Twenty-five people were injured, two were airlifted to hospital with life-threatening injuries.

The initial death toll was 10, RCMP believed one of those airlifted had died, but she is in serious condition.

“This is a deeply distressing incident, where nine individuals have essentially lost their lives. Our thoughts are with the first responders, the families and everyone in the greater Tumbler Ridge community.”

Deputy commissioner McDonald says it’s believed the suspect acted alone.

Condolences from world leaders, Parliament Hill

Prime Minister Mark Carney and other party leaders spoke in the House of Commons about the tragedy, and offered their condolences.

“Parents, grandparents, sisters and brothers woke up today in Tumbler Ridge without someone they love,” said Carney.

“The nation mourns with you, Canada stands by you.”

The PM ordered all flags at government buildings will be flown at half-mast for the next seven days.

Police Line / Police Tape

Ten dead in mass shooting at northern B.C. school

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Ten people are dead following a mass shooting in the small northern British Columbia community of Tumbler Ridge, an incident that has shocked residents and drawn national attention.

RCMP say officers responded to reports of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School shortly after 1:20 p.m. local time Tuesday.

During a search of the building, police located multiple victims as well as a person believed to be responsible, who was found dead from what investigators describe as a self-inflicted injury.

Most of the victims were discovered inside the school. One person later died while being transported to hospital, and two others were airlifted with serious injuries. Police say roughly two dozen additional people were treated at a local clinic for injuries considered non-life-threatening.

Investigators later found two more deceased individuals at a nearby home believed to be connected to the incident. Searches of surrounding properties are continuing as officers work to determine whether anyone else was harmed.

An emergency alert urging residents to shelter in place was lifted Tuesday evening, and RCMP say there is no indication of additional suspects or an ongoing threat to the public.

Tumbler Ridge, located in northeastern B.C.’s Peace River region, has a population of about 2,400 people, and the local secondary school serves roughly 160 students.

Schools in the community are expected to remain closed for the rest of the week while supports are put in place.

Police say a motive has not been determined, and investigators have not released the identity of the suspected shooter or details about the weapon involved.

Carney reacts

Prime Minister Mark Carney says he is devastated by the deadly shooting in Tumbler Ridge, offering condolences to the families and friends of those killed and thanking first responders for their courage.

In a statement, Carney said Canadians are grieving alongside the community and emphasized the country’s empathy and unity in times of crisis.

Carney also confirmed he has spoken with B.C. Premier David Eby and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree as federal and provincial officials coordinate support for the community. A planned visit to Halifax and an upcoming trade mission to Europe have been cancelled in light of the tragedy.

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UPDATE: 751 Unmarked Indigenous Gravesites Discovered

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751 unmarked graves have been discovered at the former Marieval Residential school in Saskatchewan.

Cowessess First Nation Chief Cadmus Delorme said Thursday that radar penetrating research began on June 2 at the residential school that operated between 1899 and 1997.

“The machine has a (margin of error) of 10 to 15 per cent, we will only go by the hits that we have of 751 but we do know that there’s at least 600,” said Delorme. “We cannot affirm that there are all children but there are oral stories that there adults at the gravesite as well.”

This comes just one month after the remains of 215 children were found at a former Indigenous residential school in Kamloops, BC.

The Indian Residential School Survivors Society (IRSSS) can be contacted toll-free at 1-800-721-0066.

A national Indian Residential School Crisis Line has been set up to provide support for former students and those affected.

Access emotional and crisis referral services by calling the 24-hour national crisis line: 1-866-925-4419.

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Report Released Into Fatal Snowbirds Crash

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A military investigation finds a bird strike played a role in the fatal Snowbirds crash in Kamloops, B.C., last May.

The Department of National Defence released the investigation report and recommendations on Monday.

Capt. Jenn Casey, a native of Halifax, died in the crash while Capt. Richard MacDougall suffered serious injuries.

Findings show the plane’s engine “ingested” a small bird following takeoff, leading to a compressor stall and loss of power.

“Upon loss of power, the pilot initiated a climb straight ahead and then a turn back towards the airport,” said a news release from the Department of National Defence.

“During this manoeuver, the aircraft entered into an aerodynamic stall and the pilot gave the order to abandon the aircraft.”

Casey and MacDougall ejected from the plane but investigators found they were too low for their parachutes to work properly.

The report makes five recommendations, which include more training on engine-related emergencies after takeoff, clarifying the command to ‘eject’; publishing a directive to clarify how aircrew should prioritize an ejection-scenario near or over a populated area; and researching potential options to stabilize the ejection seat from any tendency to pitch, roll, or yaw.

“Snowbird 11’s power loss could not have come at a worse time – low altitude, low airspeed, proximity to another aircraft, and in the vicinity of a built-up area,” Col. John Alexander, Director of Flight Safety for the Royal Canadian Air Force, said in a statement.

“This tragic accident reinforces the importance of continuous, situation-specific training to minimize reaction time in an emergency and the importance of a timely decision to eject.”

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RCMP Confirm Found Bodies As BC Murder Suspects

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The Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Manitoba can confirm that the bodies they found near the Nelson River were in fact the bodies of BC murder suspects Kam McLeod and Bryer Schmegelsky.

The RCMP say the Manitoba Medical Examiner completed the autopsies and confirmed their identities.

They can also confirm that the two died in what appears to be suicides by gunfire and while they were dead for a number of days before they were found, their exact time and date of their deaths are not known, but there are strong indications that they had been alive for a few days since they were last seen in July.

RCMP can also confirm the two firearms were located with the two and a forensic analysis is underway to confirm that they are the same weapons that are connected to the Northern BC homicide investigations.

Another detail that has been confirmed is that the burnt vehicle that the suspects drove was a RAV4 that belonged to one of the victims, Leonard Dyck.

All of the items found in the area are all being assessed to gain more clarity into what happened to Leonard Dyck, Lucas Fowler and Chynna Deese.