Mass Shooting at Canadian School: 10 Dead, 25 Injured

A mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, Canada, has left at least 10 people dead, including the suspect. Provincial Premier David Eby described the incident as an "unfathomable tragedy," according to Al Jazeera.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) reported that six people died inside the school on Tuesday, and another victim passed away while being transported to the hospital. Additionally, the bodies of two more people were found in a nearby residence, which police believe is connected to the school shooting.

The suspect was also found dead at the scene. Preliminary reports suggest she took her own life.

The total death toll includes 9 victims and the attacker. Two people in critical condition were airlifted to a hospital, while 25 others are being treated at a local medical center for minor injuries.

All students and staff were evacuated from the school. Chief Superintendent Ken Floyd of the RCMP North District confirmed that investigators have identified the suspect as a female. A public alert described the attacker as a woman with brown hair, wearing a dress. Her identity and motive remain unknown at this time.

Darian Quist, a 12th-grade student, recounted how students barricaded doors with desks and hid for more than two hours during the shooting. Tumbler Ridge is a small town of approximately 3,000 residents; Mayor Darryl Krakowka expressed his profound grief, noting that he personally knew many of the victims.

While Canada has stricter gun control laws compared to the United States, tragic incidents like this have become more frequent in recent years. In 2022, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau implemented a "freeze" on the sale and purchase of handguns. Notably, the deadliest school shooting in Canadian history occurred in 1989 at Montreal’s École Polytechnique, where 14 female students were killed.