A small town in northeastern British Columbia has become the site of one of the deadliest school shootings in Canada.
Police responded to reports of a shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Tuesday afternoon.
According to the RCMP, as of Tuesday evening, the incident left at least 10 people dead. Police say they found an individual believed to be the shooter dead with what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury.
In total, six victims were found deceased inside the school, not including the suspect. Two other people were flown to hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries, while a third died during transport. About 25 additional individuals were taken to a local medical centre to be assessed for injuries that were considered non-life-threatening.
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“Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragic incident,” stated B.C. RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd in a news release. “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.”
The police have not indicated whether any of the deceased found in the school are children, teachers, other school staff, and/or parents. According to the school’s website, it has an enrollment of about 160 students between grades 7 and 12. Floyd said about 100 people were safely evacuated from the school.
Beyond the investigation of the school, the police confirmed they identified another location believed to be linked to the case, where two more people were found dead inside a residence. Officers are continuing to check other properties in the area to determine whether there are additional victims or connections to the events.
This incident at Tumbler Ridge has unfortunately made the list among the most devastating school shootings in Canada. Here are some of the other deadliest school shootings in the country’s history.
Concordia University
On Aug. 24, 1992, associate professor of mechanical engineering Valery Fabrikant killed four colleagues and wounded a staff member at the Montreal university. Fabrikant has since been convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison.
École Polytechnique
On Dec. 6, 1989, Marc Lépine murdered 14 women at École Polytechnique in Montreal. He entered a mechanical engineering class armed with a legally obtained semi-automatic rifle and a hunting knife and ordered the women to one side of the classroom, and asked the men to leave.
He shot all nine women in the room, killing six, and continued on a shooting spree throughout the school for just under 20 minutes in the anti-feminist attack. Lépine killed eight women before killing himself with the gun.
Other deadly school shootings in Canada
La Loche High School — Jan. 22, 2016: Randan Dakota Fontain killed two of his cousins with a gun, then killed a teacher and a teacher’s aide at the high school in Saskatchewan.
Les Raacines de vie Montessori — April 5, 2013: Robert Charron killed two men during a shooting at daycare in Gatineau, Que. Charron then took his own life.
W.C. Jeffreys Collegiate Institute — May 23, 2007: Two teens were charged with first-degree murder and later acquitted after 15-year-old Jordan Manners died of a single gunshot wound to his chest. He was found in the Toronto secondary school’s hallway.
Dawson College — Sept. 13, 2006: Kimveer Gill killed 18-year-old Anastasia De Sousa and injured 20 other students after opening fire with a semi-automatic weapon. The 25-year-old gunman was killed in a gunfight with police.
W.R. Myers High School — April 28, 1999: A Grade 9 student shot three students and killed 17-year-old Jason Lang. The 14-year-old shooter was arrested.
With files from Kenneth Chan and Amir Ali