The Tragedy at Tumbler Ridge: Who Was Jesse Strang?

​The quiet town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, is currently grappling with a level of grief that is hard to put into words. On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, the community was shattered by a mass shooting that claimed the lives of ten people, including the suspect. As the news spread across Canada and the world, one name began to surface in every report: Jesse Strang. While the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) later identified the individual as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, the name Jesse Strang has become synonymous with this dark chapter in Canadian history.

​The Events of a Dark Tuesday

​The violence began not at the school, but at a private residence on Fellers Avenue. According to investigators, the first victims were members of the suspect's own family. Police discovered the bodies of a 39-year-old woman, identified as Jennifer Strang, and an 11-year-old boy, believed to be Jesse’s stepbrother. A young female relative managed to escape the home and alert a neighbor, who then called the authorities. By the time police arrived at the house, the suspect had already moved on to the next location.

​At approximately 1:20 p.m. local time, the situation escalated at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. The school, which serves roughly 175 students from grades seven to 12, suddenly became the center of a national tragedy. Witnesses described a chaotic scene as a person entered the building and opened fire. An emergency alert sent to residents during the crisis described the shooter as a person with brown hair wearing a dress.

​Within minutes of entering the school, officers located the suspect deceased from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Inside the school library and hallways, they found the remains of six more victims. These included a 39-year-old female teacher and five students aged between 12 and 13. A seventh victim passed away while being transported to the hospital, bringing the total death toll to ten.

​Understanding Jesse Strang

​To understand who Jesse Strang was, one must look at a complex history of personal struggles and a shifting identity. Those who grew up with Jesse in the small town of 2,400 people described a "quiet kid" who was frequently seen sitting alone. Jesse had dropped out of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School about four years prior to the shooting and was not a student at the time of the attack.

​Family members, including an uncle, confirmed to news outlets that Jesse was a transgender woman who used she/her pronouns. This was supported by a YouTube account purportedly owned by the suspect, which featured a transgender pride flag. The RCMP acknowledged this during their press conferences, stating they identified the suspect as she chose to be identified in public and on social media.

​However, behind the quiet exterior were long-standing warning signs. Social media posts from Jesse’s mother in previous years reportedly mentioned behavioral problems and violent tendencies that appeared early in life. Jesse had also grown up in a family culture that valued hunting, learning to shoot rifles from a young age. While Jesse once held a firearms license, police confirmed it had expired, and the weapons used in the attack—a long gun and a modified handgun—were not registered to her.

​A Community in Mourning

​Tumbler Ridge is the kind of place where everyone knows their neighbors. It is a resilient, close-knit community that is now forced to process an unimaginable trauma. The victims were children just starting their teenage years and an educator dedicated to their growth. The loss of Jennifer Strang and her young son added a layer of domestic tragedy to the public massacre.

​In the House of Commons, Prime Minister Mark Carney led the nation in a moment of silence. He described the country as being "in shock and in mourning," praising the courage of the teachers and first responders who acted to protect the children. Leaders from across British Columbia have sent messages of support, offering counseling and resources to the survivors and the families of the deceased.

​The school and nearby elementary school remained closed for the rest of the week as the investigation continued. Tributes, flowers, and teddy bears have begun to pile up outside the school gates, creating a somber memorial for the lives cut short.

​The Investigation and the "Gunperson" Controversy

​As the RCMP continues to piece together the motive, they have emphasized that the suspect appears to have acted alone. There is currently no evidence to suggest that specific individuals at the school were targeted, leaving many to wonder why Jesse returned to her former school to carry out such a heinous act.

​The police response has also sparked a debate online regarding the terminology used in official communications. In some updates, the RCMP used the gender-neutral term "gunperson" to refer to the suspect. This choice of words went viral, with some critics arguing it was an unnecessary focus on political correctness during a time of national mourning, while others saw it as an attempt by the police to remain objective regarding the suspect’s identity.

​Regardless of the terminology, the focus remains on the investigation into how the firearms were obtained and whether any missed warning signs could have prevented the tragedy. Investigators are looking into Jesse’s social media activity, including videos that allegedly showed her at shooting ranges, to understand the path that led to February 10.

​Looking Toward the Future

​The healing process for Tumbler Ridge will be long and difficult. For a small town, a loss of this magnitude reshapes the entire social fabric. Parents are left wondering how to explain such violence to their children, and students are left with the memory of a day that changed their lives forever.

​The story of Jesse Strang is one of a deeply troubled individual whose actions have left a permanent scar on Canada. As the legal and forensic investigations conclude, the conversation will likely shift toward mental health support, firearms control, and the safety of rural schools. For now, the priority remains supporting those who are grieving and honoring the memory of the nine innocent lives lost in the halls of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.