US resident conspired with Canadian school shooter before attack, officials say

On October 6, James Cody Bryant, a 30-year-old resident of Bellingham, Washington, was arrested and charged by U.S. authorities with conspiracy to murder people in a foreign country related to the deadly school shooting that occurred on February 10 in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. The shooting left nine dead, including Jesse Van Rootselaar, the alleged shooter who died by suicide at the scene.

Bryant communicated with Van Rootselaar over Discord for six months leading up to the attack and allegedly provided technical advice, sent money for shoes used during the attack, and offered to livestream the shooting. According to W. Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of the FBI's Seattle office, Bryant’s actions may have influenced whether Van Rootselaar would carry out the crime.

Tumbler Ridge is a small mountain town near the Alberta border with a population under 3,000 where Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old with mental health issues, killed five students aged 13 and under along with a teacher. Two more bodies were found in Van Rootselaar’s home: his mother and an 11-year-old step-brother.

The FBI investigation revealed months of alleged correspondence between Bryant and Van Rootselaar before the massacre, including discussions about acquiring weapons. New court filings detailed how Van Rootselaar stole guns from a family safe to use during the attack.