Tumbler Ridge, a small mountain town in British Columbia, is struggling to make sense of a tragedy that tore through its heart on Tuesday. Twelve-year-old Kylie May Smith was confirmed by her family as one of the loved ones killed in a mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. The town of roughly 2,400 people was shaken by violence that left nine dead, including the suspect, and dozens injured.
Kylie’s aunt, Shanon Dycke, spoke about her niece with a raw honesty that mirrored the grief felt across the community. She described Kylie as cheerful, generous, and full of promise, a child whose bright spirit was cut down in a moment that no family ever wants to endure. Relatives have launched efforts to help cover travel costs and give Kylie a proper memorial, even as they struggle to process their loss.
The violence didn’t start at the school. Police say 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, a former local resident, first killed their own mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at a nearby home. Minutes later, Van Rootselaar entered the secondary school armed with a long gun and a modified handgun. Students and staff barricaded doors and huddled in classrooms as gunshots echoed through hallways.
At the school, six people were found dead: one adult teacher and five students as young as 12 and 13. Officers reached the scene quickly, but the chaos had already spread through the library and stairwell where loved ones now lie remembered. One victim who was critically wounded in the attack survived and is fighting for life in hospital, while about 25 others were treated for less severe injuries.
Van Rootselaar was found dead inside the school from what appeared to be a self-inflicted wound. Authorities have not released a motive and continue to piece together why this young life turned so violently against others. Police noted previous mental health contacts at the suspect’s home in the years leading up to the rampage.
Across Tumbler Ridge, neighbors, schoolmates, and local leaders spoke of disbelief and sorrow. The school will remain closed for the week as grief counselors work with students and teachers. In living rooms and workplaces, residents talk about Kylie and others lost, trying to understand how a place once defined by safety became a scene of sorrow in one afternoon.
