Nine People Killed in Shootings in Small Canadian Community of Tumbler Ridge
Nine people are dead and at least 25 injured after shootings in the small Canadian community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on Tuesday.
Authorities reported that the suspected assailant—whose name has not been released—was found dead at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School from a self-inflicted gunshot. Six other people were killed in the attack on the school, while two other people were found dead at a private home in the town of 2,400 people.
The BBC reports that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) think there could be a link between the two shootings.
“We believe they’re connected but we are not in a position to provide that definitively right now at this time and what that connection may or may not be,” said RCMP Chief Superintendent Ken Floyd.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said that he is suspending upcoming travel to respond to the incident. Carney had originally planned to announce a defense industrial strategy in Halifax before going to the Munich Security Conference.
“I am devastated by today’s horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence,” Carney said in a statement. “I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens.”
What We Know
The RCMP issued an active shooter alert for a suspect described as a female with brown hair to residents of Tumbler Ridge at about 1:20 p.m. local time on Tuesday, 10 February. Residents were urged to shelter-in-place as authorities responded.
Tumbler Ridge Secondary School Principal Stacie Gruntman initiated a lockdown after students reported hearing gunshots on campus, according to The New York Times, which spoke to a teacher who barricaded himself and other students inside a classroom.
Police arrived at the school about two minutes after the lockdown was enacted, the BBC reports. Officials have not released additional details about how the shooter was able to gain entry to the school or how the individual carried out the attack. But they did confirm that six people were killed at the school.
“This was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation, and the swift cooperation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response,” Floyd said in a statement. “Our thoughts are with the families, loved ones, and all those impacted by this tragic incident.”
As part of the ongoing investigation, the RCMP said it had identified a secondary location—a private residence—that it believes to be connected to the incident. Two additional victims were found dead at the secondary location.
“Officers are conducting further searches of additional homes and properties to determine whether anyone else may be injured or otherwise linked to today’s events,” the RCMP said in a statement Tuesday evening.
The Response So Far
Tumbler Ridge students and staff were moved to a recreational center that served as a reunification site where parents were allowed to pick up their children at about 7 p.m. local time on Tuesday.
Victims’ families then remained at the recreation center to await further information. Authorities have not publicly released the names of any of the victims of Tuesday’s attack.
“It was not a pretty sight. Families are still waiting to hear if it’s their child that’s deceased and because of protocol and procedure, the investigating team is very careful in releasing names,” said Reverand George Rowe of the Tumbler Ridge Fellowship Baptist Church in an interview with the Associated Press (AP) late Tuesday evening. “The big thing tonight was my having to walk away and the families still waiting to find out. It is so difficult. Other pastors and counselors are there, so they are not alone.”
Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka gave an interview on CBC Radio Wednesday morning and an update on the support measures in place to respond to Tuesday’s attack. Krakowka said medical professionals—including nurses, physicians, and mental health counselors— from other communities will be traveling to Tumbler Ridge to assist local healthcare workers and students impacted by the attack.
The school district has closed both Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School for the rest of the week.
Mass shootings in Canada are extremely rare. The Tuesday attack is the deadliest in Canada since 2020 when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that killed another nine. The 2020 incident prompted major firearms reforms in Canada, including a ban on 1,500 types of assault-style guns, a freeze on handgun sales, and a major gun buyback program.
Editor's Note: This article was updated on 12 February 2026 to correct the number of people who were killed in the attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School from seven to six.
For more resources on responding to school shootings and preventing future attacks, revisit our series on School Security and Early Intervention, and Violent Incident Recovery.
