Canada School Shooting: 12-Year-Old Maya Gebala Fights for Life After Attack
A 12-year-old girl is fighting for her life after becoming a victim of Canada's deadliest mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. Maya Gebala, one of the only victims to be named so far, suffered severe wounds to her head and neck during the horrific rampage on Tuesday, February 10.
Details of the Tragic Incident
The shooting occurred in the remote town of Tumbler Ridge, a community of about 2,400 people in the foothills of the Rockies. The attack left nine people dead and 25 others injured. Among the victims were six individuals found inside the school: a 39-year-old female teacher, three 12-year-old girls, a 12-year-old boy, and a 13-year-old boy.
Two additional victims, a 39-year-old woman and an 11-year-old boy, were identified by police as the shooter's mother and stepbrother. They were killed before the attack on the school. The suspected shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, is believed to have fatally shot six people at the school and two relatives before taking his own life.
Maya's Critical Condition and Family's Plea
Maya Gebala's mother, Cia Edmonds, shared a heartbreaking photo from her daughter's bedside at Vancouver Children's Hospital. She revealed that doctors warned the damage to Maya's brain was so severe that she might not survive the night. "We were warned that the damage to her brain was too much for her to endure, and she wouldn't make the night," Ms. Edmonds said.
In an emotional statement, she added, "I can feel her in my heart. I can feel her saying it's going to be OK ... she's here ... for how long we don't know. Our baby needs a miracle." A GoFundMe page has been established for Maya, where her mother wrote about the unimaginable situation, asking for prayers and support during this tragedy.
Police Response and Investigation
Residents of Tumbler Ridge were alerted via text message on Tuesday afternoon to seek shelter due to an active shooter situation. Police responded within two minutes of the shooting. Royal Canadian Mounted Police Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald reported that as officers approached the school, rounds were fired in their direction.
Officers entered the school to locate the threat, and within minutes, the shooter was found deceased with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Two firearms, a long gun and a modified handgun, were recovered at the scene. The investigation continues as authorities work to understand the full circumstances of this devastating event.
