More than 25 people were injured, ten people are dead, including the suspect, after a Canada shooting that targeted Tumbler Ridge high school in northern British Columbia, police have confirmed.
More than 25 others were injured in the attack, with two victims reported to have life-threatening injuries.
Police said six victims were found dead inside Tumbler Ridge secondary school. Another person died on the way to hospital, while two more were discovered dead at a residence in the small community of fewer than 2,500 people.
The suspect was found deceased with what authorities described as self-inflicted wounds.
The violence has shaken the remote town of Tumbler Ridge, where students from grades 7 to 12 attend the secondary school. Both the secondary and elementary schools will remain closed for the rest of the week.
British Columbia premier David Eby described the Canada shooting as an “unimaginable tragedy” and one of the deadliest events of its kind in the country’s history.
Prime minister Mark Carney said he was “devastated” by the shootings and had suspended travel plans to attend the Munich Security Conference in Germany.
“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,” Carney said.
“Our ability to come together in crisis is the best of our country – our empathy, our unity, and our compassion for each other.”
At a media briefing, Superintendent Ken Floyd, RCMP North district commander, described the scene as “very dramatic” with extensive injuries. He said approximately 100 students and staff were safely evacuated from the school.
Police initially issued an emergency alert warning of an active shooter and instructing residents to shelter in place, lock their doors and avoid going outside.
The alert was lifted later in the evening after authorities secured the scene.
British Columbia’s public safety minister, Nina Krieger, said the shooting had sent “shockwaves through the community and the entire province,” noting that officers arrived within two minutes of receiving the emergency call. “Speed and professionalism saved lives today,” she said.
The town’s health centre was placed on Code Orange, indicating a mass-casualty response. Due to the rural location, at least two victims were airlifted to larger hospitals, including via an air ambulance from neighbouring Alberta.
Investigators have identified the suspect but have not released further details, citing privacy concerns and the integrity of the ongoing investigation.
Police said they were working to determine any connection between the suspect and the victims and to establish a motive.
Despite Canada’s comparatively strict gun laws, the Canada shooting in Tumbler Ridge ranks among the worst school attacks in the country’s history and is the second-deadliest school shooting recorded nationwide.
Community leaders urged residents to support one another in the aftermath. “Wrap these families with love. Not just tonight but tomorrow and into the future,” Eby said. “This is something that will reverberate for years to come.”
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