Canadian School Shooting: 12-Year-Old Victim's Mother Says Daughter Won't Survive Night
A grief-stricken mother has revealed that her 12-year-old daughter, who was shot in the head and neck during a school shooting in Canada, will not survive the night. Maya Gebala was among at least two dozen children and teachers wounded when 18-year-old Jessie Strang opened fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, killing eight people before taking his own life.
Transgender Shooter Identified by Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed on Wednesday that Strang, a biological male, began identifying as a girl at age 12. The shooter, who dropped out of school at 14, was referred to by his official surname Van Rootselar by authorities, though he used his mother's last name locally and on social media.
Maya's mother, Cia Edmonds, shared a devastating update from her daughter's bedside at Vancouver Children's Hospital. 'We were warned that the damage to her brain was too much for her to endure, and she wouldn't make the night,' she said on Wednesday afternoon. '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.'
Community Shattered by Massacre
The shooting claimed the lives of a female teacher, three girls, and two boys aged 13-17 in the small town of Tumbler Ridge in eastern British Columbia on Tuesday. Strang's mother Jennifer Strang and younger brother Emmett were both found dead at the family home, adding to the tragedy's toll.
Edmonds expressed her grief for the six families whose children were killed and those struggling to process the horrific events. 'It was just a normal day. Our community is shattered,' she said. 'My heart bleeds for everyone who is trying to process this horrific string of events. Far too many are grieving already.'
Victim Airlifted to Hospital
Maya was hit by shrapnel during the shooting and was airlifted from Tumbler Ridge to Vancouver on Tuesday. Her mother described the sudden turn of events: 'Today started as any other. Now, however, my 12-year-old daughter is fighting for her life while they try to repair the damage from a gunshot wound to the head, and one to the neck.'
She added: 'She was a lucky one, I suppose. Condolences to the other families during this tragedy. This doesn't even feel real. I never thought I would be asking for prayers... but please, please pray for my baby.'
Hockey Player and Community Member
Maya was a skilled defender on the local Tumbler Ridge Raptors under-13 ice hockey team in the North East Recreational Hockey League. Her family has set up a GoFundMe page to help her mother take time off work to support her through recovery.
The girl's aunt, Marta Batten, expressed the family's anguish: 'There are no words for the fear and pain our family is feeling in this moment.'
Police Response and Community Impact
British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters that police officers reached the school within two minutes of the shooting. Video footage showed students walking out of the school with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead.
Tumbler Ridge, a picturesque mountain valley town in the foothills of the Rockies about 736 miles north of Vancouver, has a population of approximately 2,400. Town councillors describe it as an 'incredibly safe community,' known for its lakes, rivers, waterfalls, hiking trails, and UNESCO Global Geopark status for its hundreds of dinosaur tracks and fossils.
Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said the entire community is grieving. 'I broke down,' he stated, calling it 'devastating' to learn how many had died in what he described as a 'big family.' 'I have lived here for 18 years. I probably know every one of the victims.'
National Response and Gun Control Measures
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed devastation over the shooting in a social media post: 'I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens.'
Canada's government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons. Tuesday's shooting marks Canada's deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead.
The secondary school, which enrolls 175 students, and its elementary school will remain closed for the rest of the week as the community begins the long process of healing from this unimaginable tragedy.
