Echoes from the Digital Abyss: Unearthed Reddit Posts Reveal the Tormented Mind Behind Canada’s Tumbler Ridge Massacre

In the shadowed corners of the internet, where anonymous confessions spill like secrets in the dark, a trail of digital breadcrumbs has emerged, painting a haunting portrait of a young life unraveling. Old Reddit posts, allegedly penned by Jesse Van Rootselaar—referred to in some reports as Jesse Strang, the 18-year-old transgender suspect in the devastating Tumbler Ridge shooting—lay bare a soul grappling with mental health demons, identity struggles, substance experimentation, and an unsettling fascination with firearms. As Canada mourns the loss of eight lives in one of its most harrowing mass shootings on February 10, 2026, these resurfaced online cries for help force a chilling question: Could the warning signs buried in these forums have prevented the bloodshed that shattered a quiet mining town?

The tragedy unfolded in Tumbler Ridge, a remote enclave in northeastern British Columbia, where the air is thick with pine scent and the community’s heartbeat syncs to the rumble of coal trucks. This tight-knit haven, home to just over 2,000 residents, prides itself on neighborly waves and family barbecues—far removed from the urban violence that plagues larger cities. But on that fateful Tuesday afternoon, around 1 p.m., the illusion of safety crumbled. Van Rootselaar, who had transitioned from male to female six years earlier, allegedly began her rampage at home, fatally shooting her 39-year-old mother, Jennifer Strang, and her 11-year-old stepbrother in their modest residence on the town’s outskirts. Neighbors, mistaking the gunshots for distant firecrackers, didn’t immediately call authorities. From there, armed with a semi-automatic rifle legally purchased in late 2025, Van Rootselaar drove to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, her former alma mater, and unleashed hell in the hallways.

The school, a single-story brick structure serving grades 7 through 12, was alive with the hum of afternoon classes when the first shots rang out. Panic erupted: students barricaded doors with desks, huddled in closets, and texted frantic goodbyes to loved ones. Van Rootselaar targeted classrooms and the library, firing over 30 rounds in minutes. Six fell victim there—a 39-year-old female teacher who heroically shielded her pupils, and five preteens aged 12 to 13. Among them: Kylie May Smith, a 12-year-old anime enthusiast dreaming of art school in Toronto; Abel Mwansa, a 12-year-old budding scientist whose love for school brought tears to his eyes at the thought of missing a day; and Ezekiel Schofield, a 13-year-old hockey prodigy whose skates symbolized boundless potential. The teacher, unnamed at her family’s request, was remembered as a nurturing force with a desk full of snacks for needy kids. Van Rootselaar ended the spree in an empty science lab, dying from a self-inflicted wound. In total, eight lives were lost, and up to 27 others wounded, some critically airlifted to Vancouver or Prince George hospitals.

As investigators sift through the wreckage—processing the crime scene, interviewing witnesses, and piecing together a motive—the spotlight has turned to Van Rootselaar’s online footprint. Reddit posts from the account “jesseboy347,” circulated widely on social media and verified by outlets like The Western Standard and Juno News through family sources (though not officially confirmed by authorities), offer a window into a troubled adolescence. These entries, spanning from 2023 onward, reveal a teen wrestling with a cascade of diagnoses, experimental drug use, and the profound challenges of gender transition in a conservative rural setting.

One post from February 26, 2023, captures the anxiety of impending change: “I’m 15-year-old and I have an extreme phobia of needles. Bloodwork is dreadful lol. I was wondering, what kinda stuff can I expect? I’ve seen big scary progesterone needles, and also pills of the same stuff. Are the pills effective?” This query, posted in a subreddit likely dedicated to transgender experiences, reflects Van Rootselaar’s preparation for male-to-female (MtF) hormone replacement therapy (HRT). At 15, navigating puberty blockers or estrogen amid a needle phobia speaks to the internal turmoil of dysphoria clashing with practical fears. Friends and family later described her transition, beginning around age 12, as a journey marked by isolation in Tumbler Ridge’s traditional community, where acceptance was scarce and mental health resources even scarcer.

Deeper dives into the posts uncover darker layers. In an undated entry, Van Rootselaar recounts a harrowing episode: “It’s 4 am, got out of the psyche ward like a month ago and now I’m here. I’m not schizophrenic, unlikely to be Bi-polar. Diagnosed with ADHD, MDD, ASD, and OCD. I tried shrooms once, it was a small unmeasured dose and it was chill.” This confession alludes to a “mental break” where she “went crazy and burnt [her] house down,” a chilling precursor to the violence that would erupt years later. The list of acronyms—Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)—paints a picture of compounded neurodivergence, untreated or inadequately managed in a remote area with limited psychiatric services. RCMP records, released on February 12, confirm multiple visits to the family home over mental health concerns, including detentions under the Mental Health Act for self-harm risks, the most recent in spring 2025.

Substance use threads through several posts, blending curiosity with recklessness. On November 29, 2023, Van Rootselaar pondered the safety of psychedelics: “Genuinly don’t know, not tryna die. I do N, N-DMT frequently and it seems to be completely safe for me. I am on Sertraline 280mg. I, on rare occasion, take 2mg of Risperidone for sleep purpose.” She adds, “I had a compleye mental break on 3G of Panaeolus cyanescens shroomies.” These admissions highlight experimental drug use—DMT (dimethyltryptamine), psilocybin mushrooms—while on antidepressants (Sertraline) and antipsychotics (Risperidone). In a rural setting like Tumbler Ridge, where access to controlled substances might involve underground networks, such experimentation could exacerbate underlying issues. Experts note that psychedelics, while therapeutic for some, pose risks for those with mental health vulnerabilities, potentially triggering psychosis or dissociation.

An intriguing post from June 20, 2023, titled “GunTubers, Transphobia. And what to think of it?” was deleted, but its existence raises alarms. “GunTubers” refers to YouTube creators focused on firearms, suggesting an interest in guns amid discussions of transphobia—a toxic brew in online spaces where marginalized identities intersect with weapon culture. Van Rootselaar’s rifle was legally obtained after passing Canada’s stringent checks, but police had seized firearms from the home two years prior, only to return them. Her permit expired in 2024, with no registered weapons under her name at the time of the shooting.

Other entries touch on body image and escapism. In an undated post: “I’m trans MtF, I’m pre HRT, 15yo, and I’ve been viewing a lot of anime related content recently, was never into it before. The characters are always so cute! I don’t want to be 2D or anything like the characters themselves. But when it comes to their body shape and stuff, I often find myself comparing with their semi-unrealistic shape.” This vulnerable admission speaks to the universal teen struggle with self-image, amplified by gender dysphoria and media ideals. Anime, with its stylized femininity, offered a fantasy refuge, but the comparison hints at deeper dissatisfaction.

Jennifer Strang’s role in this narrative adds profound tragedy. As Van Rootselaar’s mother, she was outspoken online about her child’s struggles. A 2024 Instagram post resurfaced: “As a conservative leaning libertarian who lives in the north and loves living in a small town, I really hope the hate I see online is just bored old people and not true hatred.” She pleaded against transphobia, warning of its suicidal toll on youth. Jennifer had sought psychiatric help for her daughter twice in the past year, facing long waitlists. Her death, alongside her young son’s, underscores the intimate betrayal of the attack.

The community’s grief is palpable. On February 10 evening, 800 residents braved -18°C for a vigil, candles flickering as Mayor Darryl Krakowka called them “one big, hurting family.” GoFundMes for victims like Maya Gebala (fighting head and neck wounds) and Paige Hoekstra have raised hundreds of thousands. Funerals loom: Kylie’s with anime projections, Abel’s with soccer balls in tribute.

This isn’t Canada’s first brush with gun violence—École Polytechnique (1989), Nova Scotia (2020)—but it reignites debates on firearm access, mental health funding in rural areas, and online radicalization. Van Rootselaar’s posts, while not explicitly violent, reveal a cry for help ignored by strained systems.

As snow blankets Tumbler Ridge, the digital echoes linger: a teen’s pleas lost in the void. Will this tragedy spur change, or fade into statistics? The scars—physical, emotional, communal—demand we listen.