Canadian authorities identify suspected school shooter as transgender teenager Jesse Van Rootselaar

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police on Wednesday identified the suspected shooter in a deadly attack at a British Columbia high school as transgender 18-year-old high school dropout Jesse Van Rootselaar.Van Rootselaar is believed to be the perpetrator behind two shootings Wednesday, at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a nearby residence, which resulted in the deaths of nine people, including Van Rootselaar’s mother and step-brother, according to CNN, and dozens of others injured. 
The police confirmed Van Rootselaar, who was a resident of Tumbler Ridge, was among the nine dead, after the former student was found deceased from what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury. Two firearms, a long gun and a modified handgun, were recovered by officers.
Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald told reporters that the suspect was transgender, having been born male but has since transitioned to female.
“I can say that Jesse was born as a biological male who approximately six years ago began to transition to female and identified as female, both socially and publicly,” he said.
McDonald said there has been no indication that Van Rootselaar was bullied for being transgender and that it was “too early to say” whether there was a correlation between the shooter being transgender and the shooting.
The deputy commissioner also said Van Rootselaar “was not currently attending school,” and that police had been to the suspect’s “residence on multiple occasions over the past several years,” to deal with “concerns of mental health.” The most recent police visit took place last spring.
Police also identified the deceased victims as a 39-year-old female educator, three 12-year-old female students, and two male students, ages 12 and 13. Two additional victims, a 39-year-old female and 11-year-old male — Van Rootselaar’s mother and step-brother — were deceased at the residence.
Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.

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