Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia — February 11, 2026
Yesterday afternoon, something unthinkable happened in one of the quietest corners of Canada.
A small northern town of barely 2,400 people — the kind of place where everyone knows everyone’s kids, where the high school is the heartbeat of the community — suddenly became the scene of unimaginable violence.
At around 1:20 p.m. on Monday, February 10, someone walked into Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and started shooting.
When it was over:
- 10 people were dead, including the person believed to be responsible
- 27 others were hurt — some fighting for their lives even now
Six of those killed were found inside the school. One more died on the way to hospital. Two others were found dead at a house connected to the shooter. The suspected shooter — a woman whose name police have not yet released — died by what they believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the building.
The school has only about 165 students in grades 7–12.
A whole town’s worth of children, teachers, parents, grandparents — all in shock.Kids who survived told reporters they hid in locked classrooms, behind barricaded doors, under desks. One boy said the fire alarm went off first — but it wasn’t a drill. Then came the sound no one should ever hear in their school.
Right now the numbers feel cold: 10 dead, 27 wounded.
But behind every number is a face someone kissed goodbye that morning.
A parent who won’t come home.
A teenager who was just trying to get through second period.
A teacher who ran toward the danger instead of away.
Premier David Eby called it “unimaginable.”
Acting Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “devastated.”
Both words feel too small for what this feels like to the people who live here.
Tumbler Ridge sits way up near the Rockies, surrounded by forest and coal country. It’s far from everything. People move here for the quiet, for the mountains, for work that keeps the lights on.
Now the quiet has been shattered in the worst possible way.
Police are still trying to understand why.
They don’t have easy answers yet — maybe they never will.
The woman they believe carried out the attack is dead. Whatever was in her head died with her.
Tonight and tomorrow and for a long time after, there will be vigils, and funerals, and empty chairs at dinner tables.
There will be kids too scared to go back to school.
There will be parents who can’t sleep.
There will be first responders who saw things they can never unsee.
If you’re in British Columbia and you need someone to talk to, help is there.
If you’re far away and you just feel sick reading this — that’s normal too.This isn’t just another news story.
This is a whole town trying to figure out how to keep breathing after today.We’ll keep learning more in the coming days.
For now, the people of Tumbler Ridge just need time, and love, and each other.Holding all of them in our hearts tonight.
