B.C.’s chief coroner says there will be an inquest into the Tumbler Ridge shootings.
The Feb. 10 shootings at a school and a home in the northeastern B.C. community left nine people dead. RCMP said 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar shot her mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at a home in the community before killing five children and a teacher’s aide at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Police said Van Rootselaar died of a self-inflicted wound at the school.
Dozens more were injured in the shooting at the school, including a 12-year-old girl who remains in serious condition in hospital.
Dr. Jatinder Baidwan, who goes by Taj, said Tuesday the inquest will aim to identify systemic and procedural issues and make evidence-based recommendations aimed at preventing similar tragedies. He said a key area to be examined will be how people in crisis are supported, including access to mental health services in rural and remote B.C. communities.
“A key area of examination will be how individuals in crisis are identified and supported, including access to mental health supports and services in rural and remote and small communities across British Columbia, such as crisis intervention and wraparound supports,” said Baidwan.
He said the inquest will also review the emergency response to the shootings, including law enforcement and medical responses, and communication with the public and families in Tumbler Ridge.
He said other areas that could be examined include gun control and how the weapons used in the attacks were obtained by the shooter. RCMP said they seized four firearms connected to the incidents, two from the school and two from the home.
He said the inquest could also look at how information is shared between online platforms and law enforcement. Premier David Eby has said it’s possible the shootings could have been prevented if OpenAI had notified police about its concerns related to Van Rootselaar’s interactions with its ChatGPT chatbot months earlier.
Baidwan said details about the timing of the inquest will be released once the initial coroner’s investigation is complete. He said that while there’s a long list of inquests waiting to happen, the Tumbler Ridge inquest will not be added to the backlog and will go ahead as soon as the necessary information is available.
Baidwan said there is no decision yet on whether the inquest will be held in Tumbler Ridge or elsewhere.
“I think it behooves us to hold the inquest where it will do the most good and I’m talking to various people including the Premier’s Office, including the mayor of Tumbler Ridge to work out exactly where it will be held,” said Baidwan.
The B.C. Conservatives welcomed the announcement of a coroner’s inquest but continued to call for a public inquiry.
Skeena MLA Claire Rattée said an inquiry involving provincial and federal governments could allow for a broader scope.
“If there is something to come out of this that could prevent a future tragedy from happening, something that’s going to strengthen our system, I would rather see it applied across this country, not just in British Columbia,” said Rattée.
Baidwan said he believes a coroner’s inquest can be broad enough to answer any outstanding questions about the shootings.
“It’s a very broad spectrum of stuff that we can look at,” he said. “The terms of reference are really as wide as you want them to be.”
Eby said Monday that questions around firearms and the role of social media companies might be best addressed at the federal level. He left the door open to a public inquiry once the police investigation is completed.
“It is far from obvious right now what the best approach will be, but what I can assure British Columbians is, bottom line, we will get those questions answered for them,” said Eby.
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