In a tragic incident marking Canada’s second-most deadly school shooting, a 12-year-old girl has been identified among the victims. The attack, carried out by 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, claimed the lives of five students at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. Prior to the school attack, Van Rootselaar also killed his mother, Jennifer, and brother, Emmett, at their home, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Among those killed in the school shooting was Kylie Smith, a 12-year-old cherished by her family and described as “the light of their family” by her father, Lance Younge, in an interview with CTV. Kylie, remembered for her love of art and anime, aspired to attend school in Toronto. A fundraiser has described her as a “beautiful, kind, innocent soul.”

As authorities delve into the motives behind Van Rootselaar’s actions, unsettling details have come to light. The RCMP revealed that firearms had been previously confiscated from his home but were returned later. The suspect had begun identifying as female at 12 and had a history of mental health struggles, resulting in police interventions at his home. Van Rootselaar had stopped attending school four years ago and had been apprehended for mental health assessment under the national act. Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald shared that firearms were seized from the residence in the past, but the firearms were returned after the legal owner petitioned for them. At the time of her death, Van Rootselaar’s mother did not have a valid firearms license. Acquaintances described Van Rootselaar as a “quiet kid” often seen alone.

In the wake of such a harrowing event, Kylie’s father urges the focus to remain on the victims rather than the perpetrator. “Let’s stop giving this psychopath the recognition,” Lance Younge implored, urging the public to remember the innocent lives lost before they had a chance to grow into their teenage years. On the day of the shooting, Younge recounted hearing from Kylie’s 15-year-old brother, Ethan, who had sought refuge in a utility closet during the attack. Ethan managed to convey his love to his family, but the whereabouts of Kylie remained unknown to Younge. Reflecting on the last time he saw his children, Younge recalled watching them enter the school together that morning, not realizing it would be the final time he saw Kylie. “I soaked in that moment for whatever reason,” he shared, not knowing it would be their last.

Tumbler Ridge Secondary School has fewer than 175 student, and Younge said his family knows the victims all personally. ‘They’re amazing kids,’ he said. ‘All these families know each other, they grew up together. Hold your kids tight, tell them you love them every day,’ the heartbroken father then advised, warning: ‘You never know, you never know.’ As the family now struggles to accept the tragedy, they are raising money for Kylie’s funeral and any associated travel costs. Kylie’s mother had recently moved to Vancouver Island after living in Tumbler Ridge for nearly 12 years. ‘She hasn’t seen her daughter in a few months and her son, Kylie’s brother who just flew back up north from Vancouver Island will need his mom more than ever right now,’ Kylie’s aunt, Sharon Dycke, wrote. ‘Kylie’s dad and step mom are caring for her brother and step-brother right now, and their world, our world, has crumbled,’ she added. The GoFundMe has already raised over $20,000 for the family.

It concludes with Dycke saying: ‘My heart aches for the other families involved and for the loss of their children. I am so sorry. To the families with children still in the hospital, keep fighting. We are sending you prayers.’ Among those who were injured was 12-year-old Maya Gebala, who was shot in the neck and head. She was not expected to survive the night. The girl’s family has said she was hit by shrapnel during the shooting but it was unclear how she was hit and how much damage was done. ‘We were warned that the damage to her brain was too much for her to endure, and she wouldn’t make the night,’ Maya’s mother Cia Edmonds said on Wednesday afternoon. ‘I can feel her in my heart. I can feel her saying its going to be OK… she’s here… for how long we don’t know. ‘Our baby needs a miracle.’ Edmonds said she also grieved for the six families whose children were killed at the school, and those trying to come to terms with the shooting. It was just a normal day. Our community is shattered,’ she said. ‘My heart bleeds for everyone who is trying to process this horrific string of events. Far too many are grieving already.’

An emergency alert was issued to Tumbler Ridge residents around 1.20pm local time Tuesday, warning of an active shooter in the area. An urgent lockdown alarm sounded in the hallways shortly after 1.30pm, instructing students and staff to barricade the doors. Darian Quist, a senior at the school, told CBC he was in his mechanics class when the lockdown began. ‘For a while, I didn’t think anything was going on,’ he said. ‘I thought it was just like maybe a “Secure and hold” but once everything starts circulating, we kind of realized something was wrong.’ Quist said he and his classmates were then left to hide in fear for their lives for over two hours, which was only broken when cops eventually escorted them out of the classroom. He described the atmosphere in the classroom ‘very nervous’, which was made worse when he saw gruesome evidence of the carnage at his school sent to his cell phone. ‘Once people sent me some photos, it definitely set in what was actually happening,’ the student said. ‘They [the photos] were disturbing, just showing blood and things like that. That’s when it all really set in.’