The chilling revelations keep pouring in, and what investigators are uncovering about 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar — the transgender teen who turned a quiet Canadian mountain town into a bloodbath — is more disturbing than anyone could have imagined. Authorities now say the motive behind the February 10, 2026, rampage at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School — where Van Rootselaar gunned down her own mother, 11-year-old stepbrother, five innocent 12- and 13-year-old students, and a beloved teacher before turning the weapon on herself — may be tied to a toxic mix of extreme Roblox addiction, violent online fantasies, and explosive family tensions that had been simmering for years!

In the wake of the massacre that left eight dead and over 25 wounded — making it one of Canada’s most horrific school attacks in decades — RCMP detectives have pieced together a portrait of a troubled young life spiraling out of control. Van Rootselaar, who identified as female after beginning transition around six years ago, was reportedly “extremely addicted” to Roblox, the massively popular online gaming platform where users build and play user-created worlds. But this wasn’t innocent fun. Roblox officials confirmed they swiftly deleted an account linked to Van Rootselaar after it was discovered she had created a horrifying “experience” — essentially a virtual simulator — that let players act out a mass shooting inside a shopping mall. Players could pick up guns, run through crowds, and mow down shoppers in cold blood. The game, chillingly titled something like “Remember,” had only been visited a handful of times before being reported and removed, but the fact it existed at all has horrified parents and experts alike. Roblox, already under fire for allowing violent and exploitative content, called it “horrifying” and pledged full cooperation with law enforcement.

This wasn’t Van Rootselaar’s only dark online footprint. Her deleted YouTube channel featured enthusiastic posts about guns, hunting, self-reliance, and weapons — content her mother, Jennifer Strang (also known as Jennifer Jacobs), once proudly linked on Facebook, describing it as videos of “stuff he likes to do.” (Early posts used male pronouns before the transition.) Investigators say Van Rootselaar frequented the internet’s darkest corners, consuming gore, nihilistic extremism, past mass shootings, and powerful hallucinogens. Social media archives reveal obsessive discussions about hormone therapy, drug use, and violent fantasies. One report even linked her to forums where users shared graphic images of mass violence. Combined with the Roblox simulator, it paints a picture of someone who wasn’t just playing games — she was rehearsing horror.

But the real powder keg? Deep, longstanding family conflicts that police say created a pressure cooker at home. Van Rootselaar’s biological father, estranged for years, released a heartbreaking statement expressing sorrow but confirming he had no role in raising her due to the mother’s decisions. A 2015 B.C. Supreme Court ruling described the family’s “nomadic lifestyle” — constant moves between Newfoundland, Alberta, and British Columbia — that disrupted stability and parental rights. The shooter lived with her mother and young stepbrother in a Tumbler Ridge home that had drawn police attention multiple times over the past two years. Calls involved mental health crises, self-harm threats, and concerns about firearms in the house. Officers had seized guns previously but returned them — a decision now under intense scrutiny.

Community members whispered for years about worries: mental health struggles ignored or inadequately treated, easy access to weapons, and a teen who seemed detached and troubled. One account even claims Van Rootselaar once tried to burn down the family home after ingesting psychedelics — a near-miss that foreshadowed the ultimate tragedy. Police visited the residence repeatedly for welfare checks, yet no long-term institutionalization occurred. Critics are raging: “Warning signs were everywhere — mental breakdowns, obsession with violence, family chaos — and nothing stopped it!”

The rampage unfolded with terrifying speed. On that fateful Tuesday, Van Rootselaar allegedly first shot her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at home before grabbing two firearms (one a modified handgun) and heading to the nearby school she had dropped out of years earlier. Inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary, she “hunted” victims randomly — no specific targets, just pure carnage. Students barricaded doors; brave kids like 12-year-old Maya Gebala tried to lock out the shooter and shield classmates, only to be gunned down in the head and neck. Maya later succumbed to her wounds, her mother’s final words — “I can feel her in my heart” — breaking the nation’s heart.

RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald has stressed the investigation is ongoing, with no definitive motive pinned down yet. “It’s too early to speculate,” he repeated, noting no manifesto or suicide note has surfaced, and the attack appeared random. But the emerging details — the Roblox massacre simulator, fixation on guns and gore, history of mental health calls, nomadic family instability, and deep-seated conflicts — suggest a perfect storm of isolation, untreated pain, and violent ideation that exploded in the worst way.

The small coal-mining town of Tumbler Ridge remains shattered. Vigils with teddy bears, hockey sticks, and candles line the streets. Families grieve children who never came home from school. Prime Minister statements call for unity and reflection on gun access, mental health support, and online platforms’ role in amplifying danger. Roblox faces renewed backlash for failing to catch such content sooner.

As detectives dig deeper into devices, deleted accounts, and family dynamics, one question haunts Canada: How many red flags were ignored? Jesse Van Rootselaar’s extreme Roblox obsession and bitter family rifts may not be the sole motive — but they form the dark thread running through this unimaginable tragedy. Eight lives stolen. A community forever changed. And a chilling warning that when violence is gamified and pain festers unchecked, the real world can become the deadliest simulation of all.