People in the small town of Tumbler Ridge, Canada, have reacted with shock and grief after a shooting left nine dead and at least 25 wounded at a local secondary school and nearby residence. The remote community of about 2,500 people, located 415 miles (667 km) northeast of Vancouver, described the tragedy as a devastating blow.
“I will know every victim. I’ve been here 19 years, and we’re a small community,” Mayor Darryl Krakowka told CBC. “I don’t call them residents. I call them family.”
The incident unfolded while students and staff were placed under lockdown. Chris Norbury, a town councillor whose wife teaches at the secondary school and whose daughter attends a nearby elementary school, spoke of the fear and uncertainty he experienced while trying to learn the fate of his wife.
“I first realised something was wrong when my daughter’s school called to say they were in lockdown,” Norbury said. “We just had to speculate and jump into social media to see what was going on… it was terrifying. It’s hard to put into words the dread and the fear that you feel knowing that a loved one is in danger.”
Students described tense hours trapped inside classrooms. Darian Quist, a grade 12 student, said he and about 15 classmates barricaded doors and stayed in place for more than two hours. He received “disturbing” photos showing blood and injuries, which made the situation fully sink in.
His mother, Shelley Quist, working at the local hospital, said she only learned about the shooter half an hour after the lockdown began. She remained on the phone with her son until they were safely reunited.
Emergency responders evacuated students and staff in what Quist called “organised chaos,” and Norbury confirmed his wife was safe around three-and-a-half hours after the lockdown began. Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims, but the scale of the tragedy has shaken the tight-knit community.
Norbury, who previously worked as a children’s librarian, reflected on the long-term impact of the shooting. “Knowing that these children I likely knew, that I likely read to, are our friends’ children, some injured, some lost their lives… it’s an incredible shock,” he said. He warned that the event could leave lasting fear for residents and students, but urged the community to seek support and stay resilient.
People with obesity are at 70 percent higher risk of serious infections, with one in ten infectious disease deaths globally potentially linked to obesity, according to a new study, highlighting how health crises can compound community vulnerability. In Tumbler Ridge, the immediate focus remains on recovery, counselling, and the challenge of coping with a tragedy unprecedented in the town’s history.
“This has never happened here before. We’re really like a family, and now we need to come together for each other,” Norbury said. “Please get help when you need it. We are strong and resilient, and we will get through this.”
