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Warning: This article contains discussion of gun violence, which some readers may find distressing.
Police have named an 18-year-old suspect in a deadly school shooting as Jesse Van Rootselaar, who was found dead at the scene in British Columbia.
As it's believed Van Rootselaar opened fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, six people were killed, and at least 25 were injured. It's said that the suspect's 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old step-brother were found dead at a nearby home.
Dwayne McDonald, deputy commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), said Jesse Van Rootselaar was born a biological male and later chose to identify as female.
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In a press conference held outside the Tumbler Ridge town hall in the aftermath of Canada's deadliest school shooting in decades, British Columbia Premier David Eby said Van Rootselaar was known to police, with authorities having "begun the process of reaching out to" those in the public health care system to help "understand what interactions may have taken place."
The suspect reportedly had a valid gun license, which has since lapsed.
While police say a motive is unclear, some have located Van Rootselaar's YouTube channel, with The Times saying the suspect's mother previously promoted it.
According to a July 2021 Facebook post, Jennifer Strang wrote: "Check out my oldest son Jesse Strang YouTube channel. He posts about hunting, self reliance, guns and stuff he likes to do.”
Having started to transition around six years ago, it's believed that Van Rootselaar eventually dropped out of school. Going by the name of Jess in 2026, Van Rootselaar's uncle says the suspect had several online accounts.
The outlet notes that Van Rootselaar changed the name of the channel from 'JesseBoy' to 'JessJessUwU', although only one post remains. Featuring the transgender flag and listing 'she/her' pronouns, the video was made around six months ago and said: "I’ve been pretty, um, aimless."
Elsewhere, a Reddit account linked to Van Rootselaar includes claims that the teenager had been diagnosed with ADHD and OCD, with mentions of being on antidepressants and antipsychotics on different occasions.
Another post from Strang appears to show her asking how to deal with her children, writing in a parenting group back in 2015: "I find at home he also has times where he can be very helpful and nice. Then other times he is pretty mean. So that makes me think it’s more of a me problem than his problem.
"We do have 4 kids so I feel maybe he feels like he isn’t getting enough attention. He is very attached to me and is somewhat territorial."
A 2024 Instagram post from her included the hashtag #protecttranskids, while she also posted about Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect in the Charlie Kirk assassination.
Describing herself as a "conservative-leaning libertarian who lives in the north and loves living in a small town," Strang wrote in 2025: "I’m glad I’m not far right or far left … political extremism blinded by rage is mental!”
If you or someone you know has been affected by gun violence, please find more information and support via Survivors Empowered on their website.
