EXCLUSIVE: Family confirms identity of trans Tumbler Ridge school shooter
The individual alleged to be the shooter in the deadly attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia has been identified by a close family member as "Jesse Strang."
EDITOR’S NOTE: The story has been updated with the latest information provided on the identity of the suspect, including the name Jesse Van Rootselaar.
The individual alleged to be the shooter in the deadly attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia has been identified by a close family member as “Jesse Strang”, according to information obtained by Juno News. The RCMP have since referred to the same individual as Jesse Van Rootselaar.
Juno News spoke directly with Russell G. Strang, Jesse’s uncle, who confirmed the shooter was transgender and responsible for the shooting that left nine people dead, including the suspect. A public YouTube account believed to be owned by Jesse features the transgender flag and uses “she/her” pronouns.
When contacted for comment, Strang confirmed he was Jesse’s uncle and Jennifer Strang’s brother. Jennifer is believed to be one of the two deceased victims found by the RCMP at a residence suspected of being connected to the incident.
The RCMP has since revealed the shooter’s identity as Jesse Van Rootselaar.
Police have only confirmed the “original suspect,” described in an active shooter alert as a “female in a dress with brown hair,” was found dead and that the investigation remains ongoing.
According to the RCMP, six victims were found dead inside the school, one died en route to the hospital, and two others were discovered dead at a residence believed to be connected to the suspect. The shooter died from what police described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound. No details about the identities of the victims have been officially confirmed.
Juno News reviewed social media and online accounts connected to Jesse Strang following confirmation from his uncle.
In a Facebook post dated July 6, 2021, Jennifer Strang promoted her son’s YouTube channel, writing:
“Check out my oldest son Jesse Strang YouTube channel. He posts about hunting, self reliance, guns and stuff he likes to do. Subscribe and you’ll get notifications when he posts new videos. he doesn’t go on much other social media so this is his way of sharing his life,” the post reads.
The YouTube account was created on Nov. 25, 2018, originally under the name “jesseboy347 strang,” but was later renamed “JessJessUwU.” The updated profile listed the pronouns she/her, indicating that Jesse Strang later identified as transgender.
The profile image is an anime-style figure overlaid on a transgender pride flag alongside an SKS rifle.
The channel contained only one public post, uploaded about six months ago, which read: “I’ve been pretty um, aimless.”
An emergency alert was issued Tuesday afternoon instructing residents in Tumbler Ridge, Dawson Creek, Chetwynd, and surrounding areas to shelter in place as RCMP responded to reports of an active shooter at the school.
Early alerts described a suspect as a woman with brown hair, wearing a dress. Investigators have not confirmed if that description referred to Jesse Strang or whether any additional suspects may have been involved.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark told CBC News that police were not prepared to release details about the suspect’s identity.
“I don’t have any details on the identity or the age or any of that information of the suspect at this time,” Clark said.
MLA for Peace River South Larry Neufeld and B.C. Public Safety Minister Nina Krieger both issued statements urging residents to follow police instructions as the investigation continues.
This story is developing and will be updated at the top of the story if any new or conflicting information is uncovered.
If you were affected by this tragedy or have information about it, you can reach Juno News’ secure and confidential tip line at (587) 332-5222
Absolutely tragic, deeply saddening, and quickly far reaching even to overseas and our stateside neighbours' news streams.
May God comfort, heal and help us all. A once strong, healthy northerly nation of multiple small remote communities exhibits growing cracks in society decline that are swallowing up our youth, our precious future generations......and it has largely been preventable, except for those who wilfully lead us down dangerous experimental ideological paths.
Our long elected liberal & ndp governments will respond with the predictable thoughts, prayers and shock in media scrums ....and will ignore the underlying issue; -of which they were both actively complicit in fostering and fanning for a decade. And in the fray of such raw tragedy, they will predictably move to capitalize in accelerating alarmism targeting everything but the root causes, with sweeping OiC's, special committees, escalation on controversial proposed Bills, and hastily creative new Bills.
We have every right to be enraged at such events.....the time is overdue for new governments and addressing systemic rot.
Tragically misguided youth, and an image of an SKS rifle posted to a social media site.
One of what appears to be two curiously similar but separate youtube accounts grimly posted a video short of the lyrics to "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People ...readily themed on troubled youth contemplating school violence, though the band claimed their intent in recording it was to highlight alienation, not glorify shootings (ya right ...now they have a problem).
The other youtube channel posts a cartoon self avatar with a rolled cigarette hanging on the lip (imagery referenced in the song lyrics on the other site). Posted 6mo ago, it suggests something pretty dark, long calculated, and inspired by popular song lyrics was deliberately posted visible as a forewarning.
May God help us all with His mercy and faithful loving intervention.
In less than a year, British Columbia has endured another mass casualty event. In April of last year, a man drove a vehicle into a crowd at the Filipino Lapu-Lapu festival, killing 11 people. The perpetrator was struggling with serious mental health issues and was under close supervision at the time.
Yesterday, another mass casualty event occurred in Tumbler Ridge, this time involving a firearm and, apparently, mental health issues.
The vehicle attack has largely faded from public discussion, and the underlying mental health factors were never meaningfully addressed. When a firearm is involved, however, the public response is very different. It is unlikely this latest tragedy will fade quietly. There will be renewed calls for more gun control, while, once again, the root causes risk being left unexamined.