The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) is currently evaluating the possibility of conducting an investigation into the police response during the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting incident. Chief Civilian Director Jessica Berglund stated that the RCMP informed the IIO, prompting the assignment of investigators to review evidence to determine if the criteria for a full investigation are met.
The IIO, a police watchdog organization, is examining whether there is a link between the actions or inactions of the officers and the fatalities and injuries that occurred. If no connection is established, the investigation will not proceed. However, if the criteria are satisfied, a thorough review of all available evidence will be conducted to establish the sequence of events.
The tragic event on February 10 resulted in the death of eight individuals, with 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar initiating the violence by fatally shooting her mother and half-brother at home before proceeding to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where she killed five students aged 12 and 13, along with a female education assistant. Van Rootselaar later took her own life upon the arrival of law enforcement at the school.
B.C. RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald disclosed that in preceding years, police had responded to mental health-related incidents at Van Rootselaar’s residence, some of which involved firearms. The extent to which the IIO’s jurisdiction covers the interactions between law enforcement and the perpetrator before the tragic events remains uncertain.
A representative from the IIO refrained from providing details on the specific case but assured that all pertinent evidence will be taken into account. Established as a civilian-led oversight agency, the IIO aims to enhance public trust in the oversight, accountability, and transparency of policing operations.