In wake of the Tumbler Ridge shooting, many support services are available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week: 310-Mental Health Support at 310-6789; Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868; Suicide Crisis Helpline: 988; KUU-US (Indigenous) Crisis Line: 1-800-588-8717; Métis Crisis Line: 1-833-638-4722; Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868.
Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka met with Premier David Eby on Wednesday and the two leaders shared a few updates with reporters on the community’s recovery process and the progress of police investigations.
“People are grieving in different stages,” Krakowka said. “Some have started the healing process, but some others haven’t.
“Feb. 10 feels like yesterday to me, but it’s been a few months. But our youth are strong, the children are strong.”
Nine people were killed and two people were seriously wounded in a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., on Feb. 10, including the shooter, who died from self-inflicted wounds. Two of those killed were family members of the alleged shooter and were shot in their home, while the rest of the victims were at the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
Eby shared with Krakowka — and then with reporters — that the police investigation is now in its “final stages.”
The suspect reportedly had previous interactions with police related to mental health. Firearms were taken from the home by police in 2024 because of this, but later returned. The shooter’s OpenAI account was also suspended due to prohibited activity, but the company did not inform police until after the shooting.
Krakowka was promised an apology in a meeting with Eby and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in March. He said that he has had some contact with the company since the meeting and is canvassing the community about what the next steps should look like. But he also said it is ultimately up to OpenAI when they come forward to apologize.
Krakowka said the recovery process at the secondary school is slow, and only about 65 per cent of students have returned to classes. Students are still using ATCO trailers provided by the province, and are awaiting new portables. A decision on when or whether to return to the school building itself is still being discussed, and a community engagement effort is underway.
“I believe that concludes this week, and we’ll put all that together, and there will be a report that comes out,” he said.
B.C. Conservative MLA Larry Neufeld, who represents Tumbler Ridge, and Claire Rattée, the party’s mental health critic, called for a public inquiry and immediate answers to why the mental health care system failed.
“I think that needs to be addressed first and foremost,” Rattée said.
The B.C. Coroners Service is planning an inquest, and Eby has said he would allow that to play out before deciding whether a public inquiry is needed.