A shooter killed nine people and injured 27 others at a secondary school and a residence in Tumbler Ridge, a remote town in western Canada, on Tuesday before taking their own life.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said six victims were found dead at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, and a seventh died en route to the hospital. Two more bodies were discovered at a nearby residence believed to be connected to the incident.
In total, 27 people were wounded—two seriously and 25 with non-life-threatening injuries. Police found the shooter dead at the school from what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury.
Canadian media reported the shooter was female, but police have not confirmed the suspect’s identity.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “devastated” by the “horrific acts of violence” and suspended plans to attend the Munich Security Conference.
The municipality of Tumbler Ridge said, “There are no words sufficient for the heartbreak our community is experiencing tonight.”
Student Darian Quist told CBC he was in class when a lockdown was announced. He later received “disturbing” photos of the carnage. “It set in what was happening,” he said. After more than two hours, police entered and escorted students out.
His mother, Shelley Quist, said she embraced her son afterward. “He’s not going to be out of my sight for a while now,” she stated.
Mass shootings are rare in Canada, though 11 people were killed in a vehicle attack in Vancouver in April.
British Columbia Premier David Eby called the violence “unimaginable.” The RCMP said the situation was “rapidly evolving and dynamic” and that officers were searching other properties for possible connections.
Tumbler Ridge is a quiet mountain town of about 2,400 residents, located more than 1,100 kilometers north of Vancouver.
