Ten individuals, including the assailant, lost their lives following a shooting at a high school in western Canada on Tuesday, marking one of the nation’s most tragic mass casualty incidents in recent memory. This incident mirrored the type of mass shooting more commonly associated with the United States and was perpetrated by a female shooter, according to law enforcement authorities.
The violence unfolded in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, where six individuals were discovered deceased within the high school premises. Additionally, two more victims were found dead at a residence linked to the event, and one individual succumbed to injuries while en route to the hospital, as reported by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
Furthermore, at least two individuals sustained severe or life-threatening injuries, with up to 25 others receiving treatment for injuries that were not life-threatening, the police confirmed. The suspected shooter was also found deceased, believed to have taken their own life, with authorities assuring the absence of any further suspects or threats to public safety.
British Columbia Premier David Eby expressed disbelief, stating, “It’s hard to know what to say on a night like tonight. It’s the kind of thing that feels like it happens in other places and not close to home.” Details regarding the shooter were scarce, with authorities revealing only that the individual was female, a departure from the typical profile of mass shooters in North America.
A police alert described the suspect as a female wearing a dress with brown hair. Police Superintendent Ken Floyd later confirmed during a press briefing that the deceased individual found in the school matched the description provided in the alert.
