Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has attended a vigil in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, where hundreds gathered to mourn the eight victims killed in a mass shooting this week.
Carney visited the small town on Friday, along with other federal leaders across the political aisle, as well as Canada's Governor-General Mary Simon, in a show of national unity.
Canadians are with you, we will always be with you, Carney told the crowd in a speech that paid tribute to the victims, which included six young school children.
Residents in the town are still reeling from the attack, with some visibly in tears and comforting one another as Carney and other leaders addressed their grief.
Many refused to speak to the media on Friday, noting that the presence of journalists in their otherwise quiet town has been overwhelming.
Carney, who canceled a planned trip to the Munich Security Conference in light of the shooting, invited other federal leaders to travel on the same plane to Tumbler Ridge, reinforcing the message that during times of tragedy, political divisions are set aside.
Attendees of the vigil included families of the victims and local residents, as well as people who drove in from nearby communities to pay their respects. Emphasizing the closeness of the tightly-knit community, one attendee remarked, I never thought that it would happen here. In our little northern communities, we're pretty tight-knit, we take care of one another.
The event also included a memorial service where leaders laid flowers near Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, the site of the tragedy.
On the day of the shooting, police identified the suspect as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at the school. Authorities stated that they did not believe the suspect was targeting anyone specifically and described his actions as 'hunting'. Four firearms linked to the attack have been seized from the suspect’s home and the school.
This heart-wrenching incident has sparked conversations nationwide regarding gun laws and community safety, reminding citizens of the fragility of peace in their daily lives. As the investigation unfolds, Tumbler Ridge's residents and a grieving nation continue to seek answers and solace.
