From L to R, Elijah Rain with the British Columbia RCMP, Mike Herrington Special Agent in Charge with the FBI, Neil Floyd, Acting US Attorney for the Western District of Washington

Following a months-long investigation, RCMP and the FBI have arrested one person following the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge shooting earlier this year. 

Back in February, in one of Canada’s deadliest mass shootings, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar shot and killed her mother and 11-year-old half-brother at the family home, before killing five students, an education assistant and herself at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.  Jesse identified as transgender. 

Tuesday morning, 30-year-old James Cody Bryant, also transgender, was arrested in Washington and charged with conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country. 

Neil Floyd, Acting US Attorney for the Western District of Washington, says the pair met on Omegle about three years before the shooting. Bryant gave Rootselaar money, advice, and agreed to livestream the event. 

“As one example, after killing two of his own relatives, after having trouble starting his own car, Bryant provided advice and offered assistance on how to get the car started so that JVR could proceed to the school and kill children.”

Bryant is now in custody. The RCMP continue to assess other individuals who had contact with the shooter prior to the tragedy.