Canadian authorities discovered two additional victims at a residential property connected to a mass shooting at a British Columbia high school that claimed eight lives including the suspected gunman on Tuesday.
Police responding to the active shooter incident at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School around 1:20 pm local time initially found six people deceased at the educational facility, with another victim dying during transport to hospital. Officers later located two more bodies at a residence believed linked to the events, bringing the total death toll to eight.
The suspected shooter was found dead at the school with what police described as “what appears to be a self-inflicted injury.” Authorities stated they “do not believe there are any outstanding suspects or ongoing threat to the public” following the deadly incident in the northeastern British Columbia community.
Two victims were airlifted to hospital with serious or life-threatening injuries, whilst approximately 25 other people with non-life-threatening injuries received treatment at a local medical centre. The scale of casualties has overwhelmed resources in the small community, with dozens requiring medical attention.
“Officers are conducting further searches of additional homes and properties to determine whether anyone else may be injured or otherwise linked to today’s events,” police stated. The connection between the residential property and the school shooting remains under investigation as authorities work to establish the full circumstances of the attack.
An emergency alert issued during the incident asking the public to shelter in place was lifted at 5:45 pm local time, several hours after the initial reports of an active shooter. The prolonged lockdown reflected the complexity of securing multiple crime scenes and ensuring no additional threats remained.
Tumbler Ridge Secondary School serves 175 students from Grades 7 to 12 according to the province’s website. The facility and neighbouring Tumbler Ridge Elementary School will remain closed for the rest of the week following the tragedy.
“Due to the tragic events that unfolded in community of Tumbler Ridge today, Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and Tumbler Ridge Elementary School will be closed for the rest of the week,” a notice on the website stated.
The discovery of victims at a separate residential location suggests the shooter may have targeted individuals beyond the school premises, though police have not disclosed the relationship between the residence victims and the school attack. Investigators continue examining whether the residential deaths occurred before or after the school shooting.
