“Please stop giving this monster the recognition.”

Those chilling words from a heartbroken father whose 12-year-old daughter was gunned down in class… while the world scrambles for every detail about the k!ller.

Kylie Smith was the light of her family — a sweet girl who loved art, anime, dreamed of art school in Toronto, and never hurt a soul. She walked into school with her brother that morning, waving goodbye like any other day. Hours later, her dad learned the unimaginable.

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In the quiet, remote coal-mining town of Tumbler Ridge, population under 2,000, grief has settled like a heavy fog. Eight lives were violently ended in a mass shooting on February 10, 2026, including several young students at the local secondary school. Among them was 12-year-old Kylie Smith, whose father, Lance Younge, has emerged as a poignant voice amid the tragedy, pleading with the public and press to shift focus from the perpetrator to the innocent victims.

Younge, speaking to CTV News in an emotional interview from the devastated community, described his daughter as “the light of our family.” He recounted the ordinary morning routine that became their last: watching Kylie and her 15-year-old brother Ethan head off to school together. “I soaked in that moment… watching them walk in the door together,” he said, his voice breaking. “I didn’t know it would be the last time they’d go to school together.”

Ethan survived by hiding in a utility room during the chaos and later contacted his father. Kylie did not make it out. She was one of multiple preteens and teens fatally shot at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, a small institution with fewer than 175 students where nearly everyone knows one another.

The attack unfolded on a Tuesday afternoon when 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar allegedly opened fire at the school before moving to a private residence. Authorities confirmed eight fatalities — mostly children and young people — plus 25 injuries, some critical. The suspect died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, ending the rampage. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have identified all victims and are continuing their investigation into the motive and how the shooter obtained firearms, amid renewed questions about mental health services and gun access in Canada.

Kylie’s family released a tribute through police channels: “Kylie was a beautiful soul, the last person who ever deserved this. She loved her family, friends, and going to school. She was a talented artist and had dreams of going to art school in the big city of Toronto.” Relatives described her as kind, innocent, and thriving in seventh grade.

In his interview, Younge directly addressed the media frenzy that often follows such horrors. “Let’s stop giving this psychopath the recognition, because these kids were lost before they got to become teenagers,” he urged. “Let’s put these pictures up, remember them and not this murderer.”

His words echo a growing sentiment among victims’ families and communities weary of endless coverage speculating on shooters’ backgrounds while victims’ stories fade quickly. Other parents have shared similar calls. Relatives of victims like 12-year-olds Ticaria Lampert (Kylie’s close friend, often called her “bestie”), Zoey Benoit, and Abel Mwansa have posted tributes highlighting resilience, smiles, and bright futures cut short.

The small-town dynamic amplifies the pain. Tumbler Ridge, nestled in the Canadian Rockies near the Alberta border, is tight-knit — families intermarry, kids grow up playing together, and tragedies ripple through everyone. Locals have erected makeshift memorials of flowers, candles, stuffed animals, and photos outside the school and legislature. British Columbia’s legislature observed a moment of silence, and Premier David Eby promised answers on gun access and mental health supports.

Canada’s strict gun laws — including a ban on assault-style firearms and handgun sale freezes — have come under scrutiny once more, though details on the weapons used remain limited pending the investigation. The shooter had prior interactions with police related to mental health, according to reports.

As the community buries its dead, Younge’s plea stands out: “Hold your kids tight.” He and stepmother Jenny Geary emphasized remembering the “amazing kids” and the heroes — including a student who performed CPR on a wounded classmate.

Other identified victims include:

Zoey Benoit, 12: Described by family as “resilient, vibrant, smart, caring and the strongest little girl you could meet.”
Ticaria Lampert, 12: Kylie’s best friend; photos show the girls laughing together.
Ezekiel Schofield, 13: A student remembered fondly.
Abel Mwansa, 12: A bright, ambitious boy whose smile was known town-wide.
Adult victims included Jennifer Jacobs (also known as Jennifer Strang) and Emmett Jacobs, along with others tied to the residence shooting.

Survivors face long recoveries. At least one 12-year-old girl was airlifted to Vancouver in critical condition with head and neck wounds.

Fundraisers, including a GoFundMe for Kylie’s mother Desirae, brother Ethan, and extended family, aim to cover travel, memorials, and support. Aunt Shanon Dycke wrote online: “Our family’s world has crumbled” after losing their “beautiful niece.”

In a nation that has seen its share of mass violence — though school shootings remain rarer than in the U.S. — Tumbler Ridge’s tragedy has sparked national mourning. Vigils continue, and questions linger: Could more have been done? How do communities heal when children are taken so young?

For now, Lance Younge’s words cut through the noise: Remember the victims. Their smiles, dreams, and innocence. Not the darkness that ended them.

As one family member put it: These were kids who should have grown up to chase ambitions, not become names in headlines. In Tumbler Ridge, the healing will be long, but the call to honor the lost — not the lost cause — resonates loudly.