Mass shooting in British Columbia leaves 10 dead and dozens wounded

A shooting at a school in British Columbia left at least eight people dead, including a woman whom police believe to be the shooter, with two more people found dead at a home believed to be connected to the incident, Canadian authorities said Tuesday.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said more than 25 people were injured, including two with life‑threatening injuries, after the shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.

RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd told reporters that investigators had identified the shooter but would not release a name, and that the suspect's motive remained unclear.

“We are not in a place to understand why or what may have motivated this tragedy,” Floyd said.

He added that police are still investigating how the victims are connected to the shooter.

School shootings are rare in Canada.

The town of Tumbler Ridge, which has a population of about 2,400 people, is more than 1,000 kilometres north of Vancouver, near the border with Alberta.

“As part of the initial response to the active shooting, police entered the school to locate the threat. During the search, officers located multiple victims. An individual believed to be the shooter was also found deceased with what appears to be a self‑inflicted injury,” the RCMP said in a statement.

“Six additional individuals, not including the suspect, have been located deceased inside the school. Two victims have been airlifted to hospital with serious or life‑threatening injuries. A third victim died while being transported to hospital.”

The Peace River South School District said earlier Tuesday that there was a “lockdown and secure and hold” at both the secondary school and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was "devastated" by the "horrific" shooting. "My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence," Carney said in a social media post.

Larry Neufeld, the member of the legislature for Peace River South, told reporters at the legislature that an “excess” of resources, including RCMP and ambulance support, had been sent to the community.

He said he did not want to release any more information over concerns that it might jeopardise the safety of the ongoing operation.

The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from Grades 7 to 12.

Tuesday's shootings were Canada's deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead.

(FRANCE 24 with AP)