A rare mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in western Canada on February 10, 2026, left 10 people dead—including the suspected shooter—and dozens injured, marking one of the country’s deadliest school violence incidents in decades. The attack has reignited debates about gun control and community safety in a nation known for stricter firearm regulations than its southern neighbor, the United States.
Royal Canadian Mounted Police confirmed six victims were found inside the school, two at a nearby residence, and one en route to a hospital. At least 25 others sustained non-life-threatening injuries. Authorities described the shooter as female, a notable anomaly in a region where mass shootings are predominantly perpetrated by men. The suspect died from an apparent self-inflicted injury, with no further threats identified.
British Columbia Premier David Eby called the incident “devastating,” while local pastor George Rowe recounted anguished parents awaiting news at a community center. “The sight of what I saw was devastating,” Rowe told reporters. Students like 17-year-old Darian Quist described lockdowns lasting over two hours, with classmates sharing images of bloodstained classrooms.
Canada’s federal government, which tightened handgun restrictions after the 2020 Nova Scotia massacre and Texas’ Uvalde shooting, faces renewed pressure to address firearm access. Tumbler Ridge, a rural town of 1,600 residents, now joins a grim list of communities scarred by school violence. Counseling services have been mobilized for survivors and families.
Prime Minister Mark Carney postponed a defense policy announcement to address the crisis, calling the shooting “horrific” in a social media statement. The tragedy underscores ongoing challenges in balancing public safety with rural Canadians’ reliance on firearms for hunting and agriculture.
