🚨 BREAKING: TUMBLER RIDGE MASS SHOOTING HORROR – Witnesses claim the shooter mumbled JUST 5 CHILLING WORDS before opening fire and spraying bullets everywhere! 😱🔫

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A remote mining town in northeastern British Columbia is grappling with unimaginable grief after a mass shooting on February 10, 2026, left nine people dead – including the suspect – and at least 27 injured in what authorities describe as one of the country’s worst acts of gun violence in recent history.

The attack unfolded in two locations: first at a private residence, where the suspect fatally shot her mother and 11-year-old stepbrother, then at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where five students aged 12-13 and one teacher were killed, most in the school library. The suspect, identified by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the school scene.

Emerging witness accounts have added a chilling layer to the tragedy. Multiple survivors told investigators and local media that the shooter mumbled five words under her breath moments before unleashing gunfire inside the school. While police have not publicly confirmed the exact phrase or its context, the detail has fueled intense speculation and horror across Canada, where mass shootings remain relatively rare compared to the United States.

RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, speaking at a press conference on February 11, said the investigation is in its early stages and the motive remains under active review. “We don’t have information at this point to suggest that anyone was specifically targeted,” McDonald stated. He noted that officers had visited the suspect’s residence multiple times in the past due to mental health concerns, and firearms had previously been seized but were later returned.

Van Rootselaar, a local resident who dropped out of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School about four years ago, was described by police as having transitioned six years earlier (born biological male). Authorities emphasized that details about gender identity are being shared only to aid identification and context, not speculation on motive.

The sequence of events began around 1:30 p.m. local time when RCMP received reports of an active shooter at the school. Officers arrived to find chaos: students and staff in lockdown, multiple victims down, and the suspect barricaded inside. Most fatalities occurred in the library, a common gathering spot during school hours. One victim was located in a hallway.

Prior to the school attack, police discovered two bodies at a nearby home – confirmed as the suspect’s 39-year-old mother, Jennifer Strang, and her 11-year-old stepbrother. Investigators believe the domestic killings preceded the school rampage.

Survivors described terror in the moments leading up to the gunfire. One 12-year-old student, Quinn Campbell, told reporters she was in the bathroom when shots rang out. Teachers initially dismissed the sounds as coming from the school shop class. An emergency alert soon followed, warning of a female suspect with brown hair in a dress, armed and active.

Witnesses who encountered the shooter directly reported a brief, eerie pause. “She mumbled something – five words – right before it all started,” one anonymous survivor told local outlet Tumbler Ridge Lines. Another account described the words as delivered in a low, almost methodical tone amid rising panic. Police have interviewed dozens of students and staff but withheld specifics on the phrase, citing the ongoing probe.

The incident marks Canada’s deadliest school shooting since the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal, which claimed 14 lives. It is the third-deadliest mass shooting overall since the 2020 Nova Scotia attacks that killed 22.

Tumbler Ridge, a town of about 2,000 people nestled in the Rocky Mountains near the Alberta border, is known for its tight-knit community and coal mining history. Residents described the attack as shattering the sense of safety in an isolated place where violent crime is uncommon.

British Columbia Premier David Eby addressed the province shortly after the news broke. “There are really no words,” he said in one early statement, echoing sentiments from political leaders across the spectrum. NDP interim Leader Don Davies offered condolences, calling the event “horrific.”

Support poured in from unexpected corners. At the ongoing Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina, Team Canada general manager Doug Armstrong dedicated a moment of reflection to the victims, saying, “We’re with you.”

Mental health experts and community leaders urged caution against speculation. Local journalist Trent Ernst, one of the first on scene, told CBC that residents are “looking for people to blame” amid grief and confusion. Psychologists advised parents on discussing the tragedy with children, emphasizing open communication without graphic details.

Gun control advocates pointed to prior police interactions with the suspect’s home as a potential red flag. Firearms had been seized in the past due to mental health concerns but were returned – a point likely to fuel debate in a country with stricter gun laws than the U.S. but still facing periodic high-profile shootings.

RCMP confirmed the suspect used at least one firearm in the attacks, though specifics on type or acquisition remain limited. The investigation involves forensic teams, ballistics experts, and mental health professionals reviewing the suspect’s history.

As of February 12, 2026, the death toll stands at nine (eight victims plus the suspect), with several injured in critical condition. Funerals and vigils are being planned, and counseling services have flooded into the community.

For the families of the young victims – children just beginning their lives – and the educator who died protecting them, the pain is profound. One grieving father spoke publicly about his daughter, saying, “She never hurt a soul.”

The five mumbled words reported by witnesses linger as a haunting unanswered question. Were they a warning, a confession, or something else? Police say more details may emerge as interviews continue and evidence is analyzed.

In a nation still processing the shock, Tumbler Ridge stands as a somber reminder that even the quietest places can be touched by tragedy. The RCMP investigation continues, with updates expected in the coming days.