Ten Dead as Mass Shooting Devastates Remote Canadian Community of Tumbler Ridge (Video)

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — A quiet mountain town in northeastern British Columbia was shattered on Tuesday when a lone gunman opened fire at a local high school and a nearby residence, leaving ten people dead and dozens more injured. The event, now being cited as one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canadian history, has left the small community of 2,400 people in a state of profound shock and mourning.

The Attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary

The violence began at approximately 1:20 p.m. MST at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. According to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), the suspect entered the school and began firing indiscriminately. The school, which serves approximately 175 students from grades 7 to 12, was immediately placed under a “lockdown and secure” protocol as terrified students and staff barricaded themselves in classrooms.

Responding officers from the North District RCMP arrived within minutes and entered the building to neutralize the threat. During their sweep of the facility, they discovered a grim scene: six victims were found deceased inside the school. The suspect was also located on the premises, deceased from what investigators believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

“This was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation,” said Chief Superintendent Ken Floyd in a late-evening press conference. “The swift cooperation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response, though it does not lessen the tragedy we are all facing.”

Secondary Location and Casualties

As the investigation unfolded, authorities discovered a second crime scene at a private residence in the community. Two additional victims were found dead at this location. Police believe the residential shooting is directly linked to the school attack, though they have not yet clarified the order of events or the relationship between the shooter and those victims.

One additional victim succumbed to their injuries while being transported to the hospital, bringing the total death toll to ten, including the perpetrator.

Health officials reported that at least 27 other individuals were injured. Two victims were airlifted to a larger regional hospital with life-threatening injuries, while 25 others were treated at the local Tumbler Ridge medical center for various physical injuries and severe shock.

The Suspect and Motive

While the investigation is in its early stages, the RCMP released a preliminary description of the suspect during the active alert as a “female in a dress with brown hair.” Authorities have not yet officially released the suspect’s name or a potential motive, though they confirmed that the “lone shooter” is no longer a threat to the public.

Members of the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) and the Major Crime Unit are currently on the ground in Tumbler Ridge. They are working to determine how the shooter obtained the weapon and whether there were any warning signs prior to the massacre.

Community in Mourning

The town of Tumbler Ridge, located about 176 kilometers northeast of Prince George, is best known for its coal-mining history and its status as a UNESCO Global Geopark. It is a place where “everyone knows everyone,” making the scale of this loss particularly devastating.

Larry Neufeld, the MLA for Peace River South, spoke to reporters at the provincial legislature, visibly shaken. “We understand that families are looking for loved ones. Please go home and allow the RCMP to do their work. This is a beautiful community, and we will do everything we can to make it safe again.”

Premier David Eby issued a statement expressing “horror and heartbreak” over the incident, promising that the province would provide all necessary mental health and trauma resources to the survivors and the victims’ families.

National Impact

Mass shootings are historically rare in Canada, particularly in school settings. This incident has immediately reignited national debates regarding rural policing resources and firearm accessibility. The 2026 Tumbler Ridge shooting stands as the deadliest incident in British Columbia’s history and one of the worst in Canada since the 2020 Nova Scotia attacks.

As night fell over the Peace River region, a makeshift vigil began to grow near the school gates. Flowers and candles were placed in the snow—a silent tribute to the lives cut short in a town that, until Tuesday afternoon, felt like one of the safest places in the world.

Sources

• CBC News: 10 dead, including suspect, following shooting in Tumbler Ridge
• RCMP Official Newsroom: IHIT deployed to North District following multiple fatalities
• CP24: 10 dead, including suspect, after mass shooting at northern B.C. high school
• Associated Press: 10 dead in shootings at school and home in northeastern British Columbia
• Wikipedia: 2026 Tumbler Ridge school shooting