A shooting at a small secondary school in northeastern British Columbia left 10 people dead, including the suspected shooter, and more than 25 others injured Tuesday, police said, stunning a remote community where many residents know one another by name.
The violence unfolded at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, which serves grades seven through 12, and then widened to a nearby home where authorities said two additional people were found dead as investigators worked to confirm how the scenes were connected. Police said the suspected shooter was found dead at the school from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Officials had not announced a motive by late Tuesday, and they did not release the names of the dead or detail how many were students, staff members or other residents.
Police said the first emergency calls came in during the afternoon as reports spread of shots fired at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Officers rushed to the campus as frightened students and staff ran for cover, and authorities later escorted students out of the building in a tight line while officers secured hallways and classrooms. “We are treating this as an active and complex investigation with multiple scenes,” an RCMP spokesperson said in a briefing, adding that investigators were still working to build a clear timeline of the shooter’s movements and contacts.
Authorities said nine people were killed in the shootings and a 10th person died while being transported for medical care, bringing the overall toll to 10. Police said the suspected shooter was also dead. Officials did not provide a breakdown of ages or roles among those killed, and they did not say how many bullets were fired or what type of firearm was used. At least two of the injured were airlifted to a hospital with life-threatening injuries, officials said, while others were hurt but expected to survive. Medical teams across the region treated patients as the town’s limited local resources were stretched by the number of wounded.
An emergency alert issued during the crisis described the suspected shooter as a woman with brown hair wearing a dress, a description that residents said added to the confusion. Some parents said they first learned of the danger through hurried calls and messages, then drove toward the school without knowing whether their children were safe. Witnesses described hearing loud pops and seeing people sprint, followed by the arrival of ambulances and police vehicles on roads that are normally quiet outside of the school day. By evening, police said the school and surrounding grounds had been cleared of immediate threats, but the area remained sealed as investigators began detailed scene work.
Within hours of the school response, authorities said officers also went to a residence not far from the campus and found two people dead. Police said they believe the home deaths are linked to the school attack, but they did not explain how officers were directed to the house or whether the victims there were targeted before or after the school shootings. Investigators said they were still working to determine the sequence of events and to establish how the shooter and victims may have been connected. Officials also did not say whether there were signs of forced entry or whether the shooter traveled between locations during the attack.
For a town of roughly 2,400 people on the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains, the size of the casualty count was hard to grasp. Residents described Tumbler Ridge as a place where school events and youth sports can draw a large share of the community, and where teachers and families often know one another outside the classroom. The mayor said the community was in shock and asked residents to support each other as investigators worked through a long list of witnesses and a complicated scene. Clergy members and local leaders opened doors for people who did not know where else to go as families waited for updates.
The aftermath also exposed how distance can shape a crisis. Tumbler Ridge is far from major trauma centers, and authorities said air ambulances were used to move the most critically injured to hospitals with the capacity to handle severe wounds. Others were transported by road to facilities across the region. Police did not provide an updated count of those hospitalized late Tuesday, saying the number could change as people sought care and as doctors assessed injuries. School staff members and first responders also coordinated reunification efforts so parents could pick up children who had been evacuated and accounted for.
Officials said the next phase of the investigation would include autopsies, extensive evidence collection at the school and the residence, and interviews with survivors and witnesses. Investigators said they would gather digital evidence, including any security video from the school and nearby properties, and they would document the path of bullets and other physical clues to map where the shooter stood and how the attack unfolded. Police also said they would review emergency response timelines, including how quickly officers arrived and how evacuations were handled. Authorities cautioned that early details could shift as detectives confirm accounts and compare them to evidence.
Police said they had identified the suspected shooter but would not release a name while confirming details and notifying relatives. Officials also did not say whether the shooter had a criminal record, a history of mental health concerns, or prior contact with police. Investigators said they were working to trace the weapon involved, determine how it was obtained, and confirm whether anyone else helped plan or carry out the attack. Authorities said they did not believe there was an ongoing threat after the shooter was found dead, but they urged the public to avoid the affected areas as forensic teams continued work.
National and provincial leaders offered condolences as the scale of the tragedy became clear. Prime Minister Mark Carney said the country was grieving with the victims’ families and promised federal support for local authorities. British Columbia Premier David Eby said the province was focused on helping the community and ensuring investigators had what they needed. Other officials echoed those messages, emphasizing support services for students and staff and the need to let investigators complete victim notifications and confirm the timeline before releasing more details.
The shootings ranked among Canada’s deadliest mass casualty attacks in recent years and were especially jarring in a country where large-scale school shootings are rare. Canada has tightened gun laws in recent years, including restrictions and bans targeting certain firearms after earlier attacks, but officials on Tuesday focused on the immediate crisis rather than broader policy questions. Investigators said their priority was identifying how the shooter accessed the weapon and whether warning signs were missed, questions that often become central as communities seek answers after a major act of violence.
In Tumbler Ridge, the hours after the shooting swung between silence and frantic activity. Police tape blocked access to parts of the school grounds and nearby streets, and officers stood watch as investigators moved in and out of the building. Residents described helicopters overhead and long lines of emergency vehicles that contrasted sharply with the town’s usual pace. Some parents said they waited for word near designated meeting points, clutching phones as officials coordinated reunification and confirmed identities. Others said they learned who was safe only after seeing students emerge from the school under police direction.
School district officials said Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and the community’s elementary school would remain closed for the rest of the week. Crisis response counselors were sent to support students, staff and families, and community leaders said they were arranging places for people to gather, grieve and receive updates. Police said they planned to provide additional public information once victim notifications were complete and investigators could confirm how the school attack and the deaths at the home are connected. Officials also said memorial plans had not been announced, but they expected vigils and gatherings in the coming days.
By Tuesday night, police said both scenes remained secured and the investigation was continuing, with detectives still working to confirm a motive and a detailed timeline. The next major update is expected once authorities release victim information and disclose what they have learned about the shooter’s identity, movements and any link between the school and the residence.
Author note: Last updated February 11, 2026.