Canada's Worst School Shooting: 9 Dead, 25 Injured in Tumbler Ridge Massacre
A horrific mass shooting at a remote secondary school in western Canada has left the nation in shock, with nine people confirmed dead and at least 25 others injured in what authorities are calling the worst school shooting in Canadian history. The tragedy unfolded on Tuesday, February 10, at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, when a woman described as wearing a dress opened fire both at the school and a nearby home.
Student Survivor Recounts Classroom Terror
Darian Quist, a Grade 12 student who was barricaded in a classroom during the shooting, has provided a chilling firsthand account of the chaos that gripped the school. Quist arrived at the secondary school at approximately 1:30 pm, just as the violence erupted. He and about 15 classmates, along with their teacher, barricaded themselves in a classroom for over two hours as alarms sounded throughout the building.
"We tried to keep things light and keep each other motivated and not fall into grief," Quist recounted in an emotional interview with CBC Radio West alongside his mother, Shelley Quist. "Once people sent me some photos, it definitely set in what was actually happening."
The student described receiving "disturbing" photos showing blood, which made him realize the true severity of the situation. He admitted feeling "pretty scared" and revealed that he and his classmates had formulated an escape plan: "We were going to run up to the door and out of the back" if the shooter approached their classroom.
Police Response and Community Trauma
After what felt like an eternity, SWAT teams finally arrived and escorted the students to safety with their hands raised. Police carefully counted each student outside to ensure everyone had been evacuated and checked them for injuries. The suspect's body was found at the scene with what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury.
Canadian federal police chief Supt Ken Floyd confirmed that the deceased suspect matches the description in emergency alerts sent to phones across the region, which described a "woman in a dress with brown hair." However, authorities acknowledge they may "struggle" to ever determine the motive behind this devastating attack.
This tragedy now stands as Canada's worst school shooting, surpassing even the 1989 Ecole Polytechnique massacre that claimed 14 female students' lives. The municipality of Tumbler Ridge released a statement expressing profound grief: "There are no words sufficient for the heartbreak our community is experiencing tonight."
National Mourning and Political Response
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney took to social media platform X to express his devastation: "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."
Meanwhile, Shelley Quist described the emotional rollercoaster of being on the phone with her son during the lockdown. "I told him to just leave me on the phone, even when he needed to be quiet, and that I was there," she shared, adding that her son would "not be getting out of my sight for a while now."
The teacher in Quist's classroom played a crucial role in keeping students calm and organized, positioning tables against the door and maintaining order throughout the terrifying ordeal. As investigations continue, the entire nation grapples with the aftermath of this unprecedented school violence that has shattered the peace of a remote Canadian community.
