RCMP Faces Intense Criticism Over Pronoun Emphasis in School Shooting Case
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police has ignited significant controversy for what many perceive as an excessive focus on the pronouns of a transgender school shooter. This comes in the wake of Canada's second deadliest school shooting, which claimed multiple lives in British Columbia.
Deadly School Shooting Details Emerge
Jesse Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old individual, opened fire in the library at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Tuesday afternoon. The tragic incident resulted in six fatalities at the educational institution, along with the deaths of two family members at their residence. The shooter ultimately took their own life following the violent rampage.
RCMP's Pronoun Explanation Sparks Outrage
During a Wednesday news conference, RCMP officials described Van Rootselaar as a woman, explaining that the individual had begun identifying as female at age twelve, approximately six years prior to the shooting. Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald of British Columbia RCMP stated, 'We identified the suspect as they chose to be identified in public and social media.' Authorities further referred to Van Rootselaar in interviews using the term 'gunperson.'
This careful linguistic approach has generated substantial backlash across social media platforms, particularly as numerous questions remain unanswered regarding the victims. Those killed included a teacher, along with three girls and two boys ranging in age from thirteen to seventeen years old.
Social Media Reactions and Criticism
The RCMP's handling of the shooter's gender identity has prompted widespread condemnation online. One social media user commented, 'The fact that the Canadian government is more worried about labeling the murderer with the right pronoun than the victims should make Alberta vote 100 percent to leave Canada.'
Fox News radio host Jimmy Failla added, 'I wanna live in a world where Canadian law enforcement is angrier at a mass shooter than the people misgendering them.' Another critic noted, 'Canada will only place blame on the firearm (as if it had a mind of its own), while ensuring its fervent correct pronoun references continue.'
Shooter's Background and Previous Police Interactions
Authorities revealed that Van Rootselaar had killed their mother, Jennifer, and brother, Emmett, at their family home before proceeding to the secondary school. The shooter was known to law enforcement, with officials responding to multiple calls to the residence over recent years concerning mental health issues.
Van Rootselaar had ceased attending school four years earlier at age fourteen and had been 'apprehended for assessment' under Canada's mental health legislation at one point. Deputy Commissioner McDonald confirmed, 'Police have attended that residence in the past, approximately a couple of years ago, where firearms were seized under the Criminal Code.' He added that the lawful owner later petitioned successfully for the firearms' return.
Jennifer Van Rootselaar did not possess a valid firearms license at the time of her death, according to official statements.
Community Impact and Victim Details
Those familiar with Van Rootselaar described the individual as a 'quiet kid' often seen 'sitting by himself in the corner.' Community member Liam Irving noted that the shooter's mother and younger brother were well-known in Tumbler Ridge and were 'good friends' of his family. Irving told reporters, 'There's not one person in this town right now that's not affected by this.'
A parent whose child attends the school revealed their son knew the alleged shooter and had participated in sports activities with Van Rootselaar's sister. The student was present during Tuesday's deadly events and is now 'afraid to go back to school,' according to his father.
Injured Victims and Medical Emergencies
Twenty-five individuals sustained injuries during the massacre. Twelve-year-old Maya Gebala was shot in the neck and head, with medical professionals indicating she was not expected to survive the night. Her mother, Cia Edmonds, shared, 'We were warned that the damage to her brain was too much for her to endure, and she wouldn't make the night.' Edmonds added, 'Our baby needs a miracle.'
The grieving mother expressed profound sorrow for the six families who lost children at the school, stating, 'It was just a normal day. Our community is shattered. My heart bleeds for everyone who is trying to process this horrific string of events. Far too many are grieving already.'
School Lockdown and Student Experiences
An emergency alert was issued to Tumbler Ridge residents around 1:20 PM local time on Tuesday, warning of an active shooter in the area. A lockdown alarm sounded in school hallways shortly after 1:30 PM, instructing students and staff to barricade doors immediately.
Senior student Darian Quist described being in his mechanics class when the lockdown commenced. 'For a while, I didn’t think anything was going on,' he recalled. 'I thought it was just like maybe a "Secure and hold" but once everything starts circulating, we kind of realized something was wrong.'
Quist and his classmates hid in fear for over two hours before police eventually escorted them from the classroom. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense, particularly when students received disturbing photographic evidence of the carnage on their mobile devices. 'Once people sent me some photos, it definitely set in what was actually happening,' Quist explained. 'They [the photos] were disturbing, just showing blood and things like that. That’s when it all really set in.'
The secondary school, which enrolls 175 students, along with its associated elementary school, will remain closed for the remainder of the week as the community begins the difficult process of recovery and healing.
