The suspected shooter was also “found deceased with what appears to be a self‑inflicted injury,” police said, following the Tuesday, Feb. 10 attack
Editor’s note: The original version of this article, citing assertions from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), stated that 10 people, including the shooter, had died in Tuesday’s violence. Now, police say a student they initially said had died was in critical condition as of Wednesday afternoon.
A woman has been identified as the suspected shooter by local authorities after opening fire at a school in British Columbia in what is being described as one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canada’s history.
On Tuesday, Feb. 10, at approximately 1:20 p.m. local time, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, located in northeastern B.C., “received a report of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School,” per an update shared in a news release.
Nine people died, including the suspected shooter, and at least 25 were injured in the shooting.
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Six people were found deceased inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, and one more died while being transported to the hospital, the RCMP confirmed. Two additional people were found dead inside a residence in the community, police said, per the release.
The post stated, “An individual believed to be the shooter was also found deceased with what appears to be a self‑inflicted injury.”
RCMP North District Commander Chief Superintendent Ken Floyd told reporters at a news conference that the suspect was the same person police had mentioned in an alert which had been sent to local residents earlier that day, per the BBC.
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The alert described the suspected shooter as a “female in a dress with brown hair,” the outlet stated.
A RCMP spokesperson said in an email to PEOPLE, “I can confirm that was how the suspect was described in the alert. Updates will be provided as more information becomes available.”
Floyd confirmed that investigators had identified a female suspect, but didn’t release a name, according to the Associated Press. A motive remains unclear, and it’s not yet known how the victims are connected to the suspect, per the news agency.
When questioned about any relation the shooter might have to the victims during the news conference, Floyd said, “We’re still working towards that,” insisting “it wouldn’t be fair to speculate on that” at this stage, adding that officers were “following all leads,” according to a clip shared by CTV News.
“I think we will struggle to determine the why, but we’re going to try and do our best to determine what transpired that day and what led up to this tragic event in Tumbler Ridge and across our communities,” he added.
The identities of the victims have not yet been made public by authorities.
Darian Quist, a Grade 12 student, recalled experiencing the shooting while speaking to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), saying that he and his classmates “got tables and barricaded the doors” amid the lockdown for over two hours until police escorted them out of the school.
Per the police news release, a Police Initiated Public Alert (PIPA) had previously been issued as officers responded to the scene. However, “the alert was officially [canceled] at 5:45 p.m. as police [did] not believe there [were] any outstanding suspects or ongoing threat to the public,” the post stated.
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“Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragic incident. This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the cooperation shown as officers continue their work to advance the investigation,” he added.
British Columbia Premier David Eby was among those commenting on the shooting in a post to his X account, writing, “Our hearts are in Tumbler Ridge tonight with the families of those who have lost loved ones.”
“Government will ensure every possible support for community members in the coming days, as we all try to come to terms with this unimaginable tragedy,” he added.
This is the second-deadliest school shooting in Canadian history, according to The Guardian.
