U.S. officials identified James Cody Bryant, a trans-identifying male, as an alleged accomplice to Jesse Strang, the trans Tumbler Ridge mass shooter.
According to an RCMP and FBI press conference on Tuesday, Bryant sent money to Strang, identified by authorities as “Jesse Van Rootselar,” to buy shoes he wanted to wear for the shooting and even helped Strang start the vehicle he used to get to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School after he had already killed his brother and mother.
According to the U.S. and Canadian authorities, Bryant, who faces charges of conspiracy to murder in a foreign country, met Strang on Omegle when Strang was still a minor and bonded over trans topics.
Bryant developed an online relationship with the trans shooter over “at least a six-month period” which then began to “focus on violence.”
Authorities say that the shooter’s motivations were based on “the general suffering that the shooter was experiencing as well as a “very keen focus on notoriety,” with conversations often centring around famous school shootings.
Bryant allegedly offered to live stream the mass casualty event, and even did for a brief moment before then being unable to do so.
“Without Bryant’s misplaced loyalty and willingness to operate the live stream, we don’t ultimately know if the shooter would have gone through with the crime,” Mike Harrington, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Seattle Field Office, said in the announcement.
There was also reportedly an attempt to live stream the killings, and it went up for about 20 seconds before being shut down on Twitch.
“We certainly know the shooter was concerned that not enough people would see the live stream without Bryant broadcasting it, and was depending on Bryant to amplify the live stream because the shooter did not have many followers on social media.”
The alleged trans accomplice then allegedly instructed Strang on how to start the vehicle he later used to drive to the school after already being aware that Strang had killed his mother and brother.
“Bryant assisted the shooter in successfully travelling to a second location to take even more lives. In the complaint, Bryant even admits to being maybe the only one who could stop the shooter,” Harrington added.
Bryant also allegedly stayed up all night after working a night shift to assist and advise the shooter and had full knowledge of the shooting before it took place.
Elijah Rain, the Acting Commanding Officer, Assistant Commissioner for the British Columbia Royal Canadian Mounted Police, said that their investigation is still active; there might be further charges and others involved.
Rain said there were thousands of communications to go through that were used as evidence in developing the case against Bryant.
“I want to emphasize this point to anyone who conspires with others on such an act of violence, or is considering doing so,” Harrington said. “If you think you are safe from prosecution because you did not pull the trigger, or were not physically present at the scene of the crime, think again.”
How awful! How do you live with yourself?
Hallelujah and Amen! Chalk another one up for our poor, misunderstood Trans community.
This sorry, deranged, microscopic segment of our society continues, with the aid and acceptance of our government, to flourish and consume 1,000 times the oxygen it deserves.
It's surprising (not very) to note that the other 27 members of the LGBQT+++2X17andMAP group have not yet lobbied to have the "T" removed from their victim list.