GUN FIEND
Chilling moment Canada school shooter fires gun wearing ‘massacre’ shirt as killer’s haunting social media posts emerge
CANADIAN school shooter Jesse van Rootselaar can be seen firing a high-powered gun while wearing a “massacre tour” hoodie in a chilling new video.
The troubled teen perpetrated the second-deadliest school massacre in the country’s history on Tuesday, killing eight and wounding 25 others.
Archived social media footage shows Jesse van Rootselaar, 18, firing a high-powered pistolCredit: Social Media
Rootselaar can be seen grinning while holding up a hunting rifle in another videoCredit: Social Media
The teen described drug-induced incidentsCredit: Social Media
Haunting social media posts from the shooter’s deleted accounts lift the lid on a deeply-problematic life – including drug use that led to devastating consequences.
Eerie videos from an archived copy of Rootselaar’s YouTube account show the teen firing a Desert Eagle handgun, 12-gauge shotgun and a semi-automatic carbine at targets.
A dangerous drug-induced episode is described in another post, with Rootselaar claiming to have almost burned the family home down after using psychedelic mushrooms.
The teen also took DMT – a powerful hallucinogenic – on a regular basis, according to The Telegraph.
In a post from October 28, 2023, Rootselaar wrote: “I tried shrooms once, it was a small unmeasured dose and it was chill.
“The second time I tried it I took 3 grams of Blue Meanie [ a hallucinogenic mushroom] ground up into some peanut butter and had a complete break from reality and did a lot of irrational things, I felt like I was dreaming. Many consequences ensued.”
Troubling details about Rootselaar’s mental health problems have also emerged.
The teen reportedly stopped attending school at 14 and had to be “apprehended for assessment” under Canada’s mental health act on more than one occasion.
“Police have attended that residence in the past, approximately a couple of years ago, where firearms were seized under the Criminal Code,” said Dwayne McDonald, Deputy Commissioner of the British Columbia RCMP.
“I can say that at a later point in time, the lawful owner of those firearms petitioned for those firearms to be returned, and they were.”
It is believed that the teen and his five siblings had ready access to an arsenal of weapons from a young age.
One photograph shared by Rootselaar’s mother, Jennifer, in 2024, shows a gun cabinet housing five rifles and rounds of ammunition.
The post is accompanied by the caption: “Think it’s time to take them out for some target practice.”
Rootselaar shot her and 11-year-old step-brother, Emmitt, at their home before carrying out the school massacre.
Court documents show the family had a “nomadic lifestyle” and were constantly uprooted between Newfoundland and Powell River.
Rootselaar’s mother, Jennifer Strang, was one of the first victimsCredit: Social Media
She shared a photograph of a gun cabinet in one social media postCredit: Social Media
And Jennifer had to be ordered by a judge to give the children telephone access to their father.
Other posts show Rootselaar struggling with gender identity, self-describing as “mtf” in posts, which is shorthand for male-to-female.
The teen bemoans being six-foot tall and expresses a desire to be “petite”.
In one, the teen asks: “do I have a good build type for HRT [hormone replacement therapy]?
“Any advice is appreciated, should I put on weight or anything? Work out?”
Rootselaar also posted to a transgender group, writing:
Rootselaar complained about being too tall in one postCredit: Enterprise
The teen bemoaned being unable to access hormone replacement therapy drugsCredit: Enterprise
I’m trans MtF, I’m pre-HRT 15yo, I’m super skinny, so that sometimes makes me feel kinda good!
“But I’m Pre-HRT and my expectations are minimal for chest growth, and I’m 6ft tall! Why can’t I be petit an [sic] smol [small]?”
Despite describing herself as a “conservative-leaning libertarian”, Jennifer appeared to show support for her eldest child.
In an Instagram post from July 2024, Ms Strang posted a picture of a trans-inclusive pride flag emblazoned with the message “good people don’t spend their time harassing marginalised communities”.
A town in mourning
Hundreds of people gathered to pay tribute to the victims at a candlelit vigil in Tumbler Ridge last night.
Mourners left flowers and teddy bears; one speaker asked the group to join in prayer and others thanked first responders and teachers.
“Canada is crying with you tonight,” said Bob Zimmer, the MP for Prince George-Peace River-Northern Rockies, which includes the town.
Mourners gathered to lay candles and flowers for the victimsCredit: AFP
A candlelit vigil is held for the victims in Tumbler RidgeCredit: X
Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka tearfully added: “We’re one big family. We’re going to need your support”
Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “devastated” by the “horrific shootings”.
“My prayers and deepest condolences are with the families and friends who have lost loved ones to these horrific acts of violence,” Carney wrote on social media.
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“I join Canadians in grieving with those whose lives have been changed irreversibly today, and in gratitude for the courage and selflessness of the first responders who risked their lives to protect their fellow citizens.
“Our ability to come together in crisis is the best of our country – our empathy, our unity, and our compassion for each other.”
