The investigation into the motive of 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who carried out a shooting at Tumbler Ridge school in the town of the same name on 10/2, killing six people and injuring 25, is in its "early stages", announced Dwayne McDonald, deputy commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), on 12/2.
Rootselaar died by suicide after the school shooting. A subsequent police search of the suspect's home revealed that his mother and half-brother had also been fatally shot. Authorities acknowledged that Rootselaar had been known to them prior to the incident.
"We had attended that residence multiple times over the past few years to address mental health concerns related to the suspect", McDonald said.
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Images from Jesse Van Rootselaar's YouTube channel show him using guns as a child. Photo: Global News |
McDonald added that the suspect had previously undergone medical assessment and monitoring under Canada's mental health legislation. Police had also interacted with the suspect and his family regarding weapons at least once several years prior.
"The firearm was seized at that time under criminal law. Subsequently, the legal owner petitioned for its return, which was granted", McDonald stated.
Rootselaar held a license for a rifle and a handgun, but it expired in 2024, and no firearms were currently registered under her name. McDonald noted that Jesse was "born biologically male" and began transitioning to female approximately six years ago, identifying as female in both her personal life and social interactions.
Social media posts indicated a close-knit family, often celebrating birthdays, with her mother frequently indulging her children. In 2021, her mother shared a link to Rootselaar's YouTube channel, which featured content on hunting, survival skills, and firearms. Court documents from 2015 revealed that Rootselaar's mother and children had lived a "nearly nomadic life", relocating multiple times across Canada in the 5 years preceding.
Following the attack, which shocked Canada, many questions arose regarding why police returned a gun to someone with a history of mental health checks. British Columbia Premier David Eby also expressed this concern and requested clarification from local police.
According to former RCMP officer Sherry Benson-Podolchuk, Canada needs to amend its laws to allow police to seize firearms from individuals if they are discovered during mental health-related checks. Canadians have a relatively high rate of gun ownership, but the country has stricter gun control regulations than the US.
Thanh Danh (According to Guardian, CBC)
