BREAKING: Chilling photos surface of the Canadian school sh00ter casually waving a rifle like it’s a toy — smiling ear-to-ear — just days before the horror unfolded.

This 18-year-old walked into a quiet B.C. school and home, gunning down 8 innocent people — including young kids who never made it home from class… and shockingly, the shooter’s OWN mother and little stepbrother were among the first victims at their family residence.💔

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Disturbing photographs of 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar casually holding and posing with a rifle have spread rapidly online in the days following one of Canada’s deadliest mass shootings. The images, which appear to date from before the February 10, 2026, attack, show the suspect smiling while gripping the firearm — in one case seated on a couch next to a young child — treating the weapon almost like a playful accessory.

The photos surfaced amid growing public outrage and grief over the tragedy that claimed eight lives: six at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and two at a nearby family home. Van Rootselaar, a local resident who had prior mental health interactions with police, killed her 39-year-old mother, Jennifer Jacobs (also known as Jennifer Strang), and 11-year-old stepbrother, Emmett Jacobs, at the residence before heading to the school. There, the suspect fatally shot five students aged 12 and 13, plus a 39-year-old teacher, before dying from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald identified Van Rootselaar during a Wednesday news conference, noting the suspect was born male but began identifying as female about six years ago and presented publicly and on social media accordingly. Authorities recovered a long gun and a modified handgun at the scene, though details on their ownership and how they were obtained remain under investigation. Van Rootselaar once held a firearms license that expired in 2024, police said.

The viral images — shared by outlets including news.com.au, the New York Post, and others — have intensified scrutiny of the suspect’s background. One photo depicts Van Rootselaar grinning broadly while displaying the rifle. Another shows a similar pose in a relaxed home setting. The exact dates of the pictures are unclear, but they contrast sharply with the horror that unfolded in this remote coal-mining community of fewer than 2,000 people, nestled in the Canadian Rockies near the Alberta border.

The attack began at the family home on Fellers Avenue, where a surviving young family member alerted a neighbor, prompting the initial call to police. Officers arrived at the school just two minutes after reports of an active shooter, discovering six bodies inside, including those of students Zoey Benoit, 12; Ticaria Lampert, 12; Abel Mwansa, 12; Ezekiel Schofield, 13; Kylie Smith, 12; and teacher Shannda Aviugana-Durand, 39. More than 25 others were injured, some critically, with at least one child airlifted for treatment.

Tributes poured in for the victims as their names and photos were released by RCMP on Thursday. Kylie Smith was remembered by her family as a “beautiful soul” and talented artist who dreamed of attending art school in Toronto. Zoey Benoit’s loved ones called her “resilient, vibrant, smart, caring and the strongest little girl you could meet.” Abel Mwansa was described as a bright, ambitious boy whose smile was known throughout the tight-knit town. Ticaria Lampert and Ezekiel Schofield were also fondly recalled by relatives and friends.

The suspect’s family victims added another layer of tragedy. Jennifer Jacobs, 39, was Van Rootselaar’s mother, originally from Newfoundland. Emmett Jacobs, 11, was the stepbrother. Police are still examining the circumstances at the home, including any prior dynamics or warning signs.

Van Rootselaar had a documented history of mental health challenges, with police conducting wellness checks and, on at least one occasion, seizing firearms under the Mental Health Act. No clear motive has been released, though investigators continue to review social media, witness accounts, and other evidence. Earlier, the Anti-Defamation League briefly linked an X account with antisemitic posts to the suspect but later retracted the claim after further review.

In Tumbler Ridge, the response has been one of profound shock and communal mourning. Makeshift memorials of flowers, candles, stuffed animals, and victim photos have sprung up outside the school and other sites. Vigils drew hundreds, with British Columbia Premier David Eby and Prime Minister Mark Carney promising visits to the community. Flags flew at half-mast across Canada, and the premier pledged reviews of mental health services and firearm access laws — even as Canada’s strict gun regulations, including bans on assault-style weapons, once again come under debate.

Survivors’ stories highlight both terror and heroism. Students recounted hiding in classrooms and utility rooms; one performed CPR on a wounded classmate. Ethan Smith, brother of victim Kylie, survived by barricading himself and later reunited with his father, Lance Younge, who has publicly urged the media to focus on victims rather than the perpetrator.

The viral photos have sparked divided online reactions. Some express horror at the apparent nonchalance toward firearms, while others question why such images are circulating widely when families plead for attention on the lost lives. Critics argue the spread risks glorifying the suspect, echoing pleas from victims’ relatives like Younge: “Let’s stop giving this psychopath the recognition.”

As the investigation proceeds, questions linger: Were there missed opportunities in mental health interventions? How were the firearms accessed? What drove the escalation from family home to school? For now, the small town grapples with irreversible loss. Fundraisers support grieving families, including those of Kylie Smith and others, covering travel, memorials, and long-term needs.

In a nation where school shootings remain rare compared to the U.S., this event has prompted national reflection. Yet in Tumbler Ridge, healing will be measured in small steps: shared memories, community support, and a determination to honor the innocent — the children with braces and shy smiles, the teacher dedicated to her students, the mother and stepbrother caught in unimaginable violence.

The photos may go viral, but the faces of the victims — full of promise cut short — are the ones the community wants remembered most.