BC Coroner Announces Inquest Into Tumbler Ridge Mass Shooting

An inquest into the deaths of the eight people killed in the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge last month has been called in a bid to prevent future deaths, British Columbia’s chief coroner has announced.

The primary goal of the inquest is to provide an “open, independent forum” to examine the circumstances surrounding the deaths, Dr. Jatinder Baidwan said during a March 3 press conference in Vancouver. He said it will also be used to “identify any systemic or procedural issues, and make evidence-based recommendations aimed at preventing similar loss of life in the future.”

Eighteen-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar is accused of killing his mother and 11-year-old half-brother at their home on Feb. 10 before shooting five Grade 7 students and a teacher’s aide at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. The teen was also found dead at the scene with what the RCMP have described as a long gun and modified handgun, bringing the final death toll to nine.

The tragedy has sparked extensive conversations about the role mental health played in the incident, Baidwan said.

Van Rootselaar, who was born a biological male and had begun transitioning to female in recent years, had a history of mental health issues. The RCMP previously told reporters that officers visited the suspect’s household on several occasions for mental health-related issues as well as to secure firearms.

Baidwan emphasized that a crucial element of the inquest will examine how individuals in crisis are identified and helped and will look at how northern and rural communities in B.C. access mental health support.

It will also identify “how mental health and public safety systems intersect” and examine the means by which Van Rootselaar acquired the firearms found at the scene of the crime.

Technology and artificial intelligence (AI) will also come under the microscope, Baidwan said. The inquest will examine how “information is shared between online platforms, emerging technologies like artificial intelligence and law enforcement,” he said.

American artificial intelligence firm OpenAI has faced criticism and calls for reform after it was disclosed that the company flagged and banned Van Rootselaar’s ChatGPT account for its violent content last summer, but did not forward the information to police.

The account was not brought to the attention of the RCMP until after the Feb. 10 shooting because the company did not identify “credible“ or ”imminent” planning for potential real-world violence when it banned the account last summer, OpenAI said in a Feb. 26 letter to Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon.

The company also said last week that it discovered a second account belonging to the shooter after Van Rootselaar’s name was released to the public by the RCMP. The secondary account was disclosed to law enforcement upon its identification, the company said.

The coroner’s office does not have the authority to compel OpenAI to take part in the inquiry, Baidwan said, but added that most companies are likely to cooperate because it would be in their best interests.

Baidwan emphasized the importance of the inquest during the press conference, noting that the coroners service has a unique responsibility to investigate deaths openly, which helps to uphold public confidence.

“As chief coroner, my mandate is to promote public safety and the findings and recommendations from this inquest will inform practice and support safety and well-being in communities across British Columbia and Canada,” he said.

Baidwan said more information about the timing and location of the inquest will be provided once the police investigation is complete and the Coroners Service has finished its own “investigative phase.”

Other Inquiries

B.C. Premier David Eby has previously said there would either be a coroner’s inquest or a public inquiry after the police investigation is complete and vowed his government would use “any tools available” to make sure all questions about the mass shooting are answered.

Eby has not said if a provincial inquiry will be held in addition to the inquest and Baidwan said only the premier’s office can answer questions about a public inquiry separate from the BC Coroners Service.

The premier’s office did not immediately respond to a request for clarification.

Meanwhile, the federal Conservatives have been advocating for an independent investigation into the mass shooting.

MP Bob Zimmer, whose riding includes Tumbler Ridge in northeastern B.C., said over the weekend that mourning families need answers about the shooter’s mental health and access to guns, as well as the role of artificial intelligence and the protection of the victims’ families.

Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters last week the federal government would “fully explore” all possible measures to prevent future tragedies like the one that occurred in Tumbler Ridge but did not say what that would entail.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.