Crédito, Trent Ernst/Tumbler RidgeLines
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- Author, Redação
- Role, BBC News Brasil
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Reading time: 6 min
At least ten people have died and another 25 were injured in a shooting at a school in the province of British Columbia, in western Canada. It remains unclear how many of the victims were children.
The incident occurred at a school in Tumbler Ridge, a town with a population of around 2,400, and a nearby residence.
According to local police, the suspected shooter is among the dead – along with nine other victims.
Her body was found at the school, and authorities believe she died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. It is currently unknown if she had any connection to the school.
Authorities have confirmed her identity but have not released her name or gender. However, an alert sent to phones in the area described the suspect as a “woman in a dress and brown hair.”
Most of the victims were found dead inside the school, with one person dying en route to the hospital and two others discovered at a home in the area.
Brazil’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that, as of now, there is no information indicating any Brazilian citizens were among the victims.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters that this is a “tricky day” for Tumbler Ridge and for Canada.
“Parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love,” Carney said.
“The nation mourns with you. Canada stands with you.”
Carney thanked first responders and world leaders who have offered their solidarity, including King Charles III, Canada’s head of state, who expressed his profound “shock and sadness” over the “senseless act of violence.”
The Prime Minister then announced he has ordered flags at all government buildings to be flown at half-mast for the next week.
“We will get through this,” Carney continued. “But now is the time for us to come together, as Canadians do in these terrible situations. To support each other, to grieve together, and to grow together.”
How the Attack Unfolded
Police received a report of an active shooter at Tumbler Ridge at 1:20 PM local time.
A student reported hearing an alarm around 1:30 PM local time, instructing them to lock doors due to a lockdown.
Police arrived at the school within two minutes, according to British Columbia’s Minister of Public Safety and Attorney General, Nina Krieger.
An alert urging residents to shelter in place was sent to phones in the area by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), describing the suspect as a “woman in a dress and brown hair.”
The alert was officially lifted at 5:45 PM local time after police determined there were no other suspects at large.
Brazilian Teacher Protected Students
Brazilian national Jarbas Noronha is a teacher at the Canadian school and recounted to The New York Times how panic unfolded with his 12th-grade class as he protected the 15 students with him.
Noronha said one of his students was walking to the parking lot when he returned and entered the classroom announcing he had heard gunshots. Minutes later, the school principal entered the room shouting orders to lock everything down and stay put.
The teacher told the NYT that he and the students locked the door to the hallway and the two gates facing outside the building, using metal benches to barricade the entrance.
Noronha said he and the students remained hidden in the workshop for more than two hours until police knocked on the door and escorted them to the school’s recreation center.
Noronha has been teaching mechanics and carpentry for two years, having moved from Brazil to the Canadian town to live with his wife, who already resided there.
“This is a town that likes hunting. Everyone has guns here,” he said.
In a Facebook post, Noronha wrote he was safe: “I don’t wish this on any school-aged child. Still processing. Our society is sick.”
‘Everyone Knows the Victims’
While details about the victims have not yet been released by Canadian authorities, everyone in town knows who they are, said Councilor Chris Norbury, speaking live to BBC Radio 4’s Today program.
“Here, we don’t lock the doors,” Norbury said.
“It’s an incredibly safe community. We don’t have to worry about crime here.”
He said he went to the high school and saw emergency services blocking the entrance.
“We only have three police cars in town, we’re exceptionally small. We know each other, everyone knows the victims. They’re our friends and children of our friends.”
Norbury worked as a children’s librarian for a decade. His wife is likewise a teacher in Tumbler Ridge.
He told CBC News’ The National: “I know these kids, I’ve watched them grow up… We’ve sung together, read books together… I spot them everywhere.”
“And to know that I won’t see them again, that we won’t see them again, that their families will have to live with this irreparable loss… It’s almost unbearable,” Norbury continued.
“I’m scared for the rest of our community, who feel this loss.”
Investigation
In a press conference, Superintendent Chief Ken Floyd said it is too early to determine the connection between the school and the home where the dead and injured were found.
“We believe they are connected, but we cannot say for certain at this time, nor what that connection would be.”
He also stated it is not yet possible to say if the number of fatalities will increase, as many victims are still receiving medical care. “The scene was very traumatic,” he added.
British Columbia Premier David Eby said the quick response by police – arriving at the scene within two minutes of the emergency call – may have saved lives.
The rapid response prevented a “devastating tragedy from being significantly worse,” he said, noting that officers put themselves at risk by rushing into the school. “It’s heroic work, and I’m very grateful,” Eby said.
The School
A page on the British Columbia district’s official website describes the high school as a public institution with 175 students enrolled in grades 7 through 12.
The school, serves students roughly equivalent to both middle and high school levels in the United States.
Both the school targeted in the attack and another in the same region will remain closed for the rest of the week. Police continue to search nearby residences.
Gun Ownership in Canada
Gun ownership in Canada is widely regulated by the federal government, and laws are stricter than in most of the United States.
Firearms must be stored locked and unloaded. Anyone wishing to purchase a gun is also subject to extensive criminal background checks.
Since 2022, a national freeze on the sale of newly manufactured handguns has been in effect.
Despite this, a significant number of people across the country own firearms, particularly in rural areas.
The Department of Justice Canada previously reported that British Columbia – where the school targeted in the attack is located – has the highest rate of short-gun ownership in the country.
Are School Shootings Common in Canada?
School shootings are relatively rare in Canada, and statistics show the rate of firearm-related homicides is much lower compared to the United States.
Among the most significant attacks to date are:
December 2014, Edmonton: A man killed six adults – including his wife – and two children before taking his own life in an attack police described as a “senseless mass murder.”
January 2017, Quebec: An attack on the Islamic Cultural Centre in Quebec City left six people dead and 19 injured. Alexandre Bissonnette, the shooter, was sentenced to life in prison.
April 2020, Nova Scotia: The worst mass shooting in Canadian history occurred when a gunman, disguised as a police officer, killed 22 people over two days. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau subsequently announced a ban on 1,500 types of assault weapons. The purchase and sale of firearms was suspended following the incident.
