People of Tumbler Ridge, Canada, were left shocked after encountering a harrowing incident they were not prepared for. On Tuesday, February 10, 2026, Jesse van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old transgender woman, chose to attack students at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, leaving at least six dead.
She reportedly carried out a shooting spree in her own home, killing her mother and 11-year-old step-brother in the process. The total death count is at least nine, including the attacker, as reported by Firstpost.
‘You want to put someone’s picture up on the news? Put my daughter’s picture up’
Family grieving child lost in Tumbler Ridge school shooting wants focus on victims, not perpetrator https://t.co/6BATTk9zPH
— CTV News (@CTVNews) February 12, 2026
One of her victims was Kylie Smith, a 12-year-old Tumbler Ridge student, who had no idea her life would end so soon. The girl’s parents had dropped her off at the school as usual, and that became the last time they saw her alive.
Her father, Lance Young, recently spoke to CTV News and opened about the tragic incident. Speaking about Kylie, the devastated father said, “She was just a beautiful soul. She’s a light in our family. She loved art and anime. She wanted to go to school in Toronto, and we just loved her so much.”
He pleaded, “If you want to put someone’s picture up on the news, put my daughter’s picture up.” Young clarified that the killer does not deserve the widespread attention, “Let’s stop giving this psychopath the recognition. These kids were lost before they even became teenagers.”
He explained that a great deal of information about van Rootselaar is circulating online, and it should not matter. Young further stressed that several other innocent souls had died that day, and said, “we need to put their pictures up on social media.”
A Canadian family is grieving after 12‑year‑old Kylie Smith was shot and killed in the Tumbler Ridge school shooting. Her father, Lance Younge, recalled seeing her off that morning, unaware it would be the last time https://t.co/FPndDlaiLt pic.twitter.com/9GynbD5YJe
— Reuters (@Reuters) February 12, 2026
Lastly, when asked what his message is going to be for everyone watching the news, Young simply said, “Hold your kids tight. Tell them you love them every day, because you never know.”
Kylie was only three months away from turning 13. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has also took to social media to mourn the loss of the innocent following the tragic incident.
“I am devastated by today’s horrific shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence,” he said.
The shooter reportedly had a history of prior mental health issues. She had also been detained multiple times in the past under B.C.’s Mental Health Act for psychiatric evaluation. There is still no confirmed or known motive established behind her attacks at the time of writing.
