Mayor Darryl Krakowka describes Tumbler Ridge as “one big family,” and that family is going to need to continued support as the northeastern B.C. community grapples with the fallout of one of the worst mass shootings in the province’s history.
Politicians – across all levels of government and party lines – are in Tumbler Ridge Wednesday night (Feb. 11) in the wake of the deadly shootings the day before.
Eight people were killed across two locations: Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a home in the community. The suspect, now identified as 18-year-old Tumbler Ridge resident Jesse Van Roostelaar, was found dead from what police said was a self-inflicted wound.
Six people and the alleged shooter were found dead by police at the high school and two more were found dead in a residence that police believe is connected to the school shooting.
Twenty-seven others are injured. Two were airlifted to hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries, while the other 25 were assessed and triaged at the local medical centre for non-life-threatening injuries.
Krakowka said Tumbler Ridge is going to need support going forward.
“As it was coming across through the alerts on the phones … as we were learning more and more as the event unfolded. You know, I didn’t even know if we had fatalities, if we had people shot.”
He said B.C. Public Minister Nina Krieger reached out immediately and he told her the community was going to need counsellors and boots on the ground in the next 24 hours.
Krakowka said there were five counsellors in the community by Wednesday: two at the community centre for people who had lost loved ones and three at the community health centre for the rest of the community. He added the school district also brought in counsellors to support the students and teachers.
“My biggest thing I’d like to say to the community of the family we have here is lend your ear when somebody needs your ear, lend your shoulder when somebody needs your shoulder, give somebody a hug.”
He asked people and media in Tumbler Ridge to give space to the people grieving.
Premier David Eby arrived in Tumbler Ridge less than two hours before the press conference and attended a vigil down the road for the victims of the shootings.
He had to hold back tears Wednesday night while addressing the Tumbler Ridge community, and British Columbia Wednesday night.
“There was a moment on the stage when the speaker talked about Maya, who’s in the hospital with her family right now, a young girl who’s fighting for life and just clinging to life right now,” Eby said, adding people were asked to send their prayers to Maya and her family.
“That moment for me is representative of the profound tragedy.”
The premier thanked Northern Health and the counsellors, the community centre providing direct support to residents, the first responders “who had to attend to see this, to intervene” and the heroes in the school, whose “stories are just starting to come out about everyone who stepped up to protect, to save lives.”
“It’s horrifying and inspirational at the same time, and there just aren’t words to describe the feelings in this town right now.”
Federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said there are no words that he can say that will bring the children back.
“One thing I’ve never seen is this many children at a vigil. That’s tragic,” Anandasangaree said. “Every one of those children there today is now going to carry the scars of yesterday, and as they grow, we will need to continue to support them and their parents and their community.”
Provincially, Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger says her ministry continues to work closely with RCMP to ensure they have every resource required to do their work. She added mental health supports and trauma services are also being made available the province “will continue to expand that support as needed.”