Ottawa, February 11 (NationPress) A tragic mass shooting occurred in a mining community in British Columbia, resulting in the deaths of nine individuals, with the suspected shooter, believed to be a woman, taking her own life. This information was confirmed by officials.

According to Chief Superintendent Ken Floyd of the regional federal police, seven victims were discovered deceased inside a local high school in Tumbler Ridge, while two others were found in a nearby residence.

The suspected shooter was also located deceased within the school premises, as stated during a virtual press briefing.

Floyd, who oversees the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) northern district, reported that around 100 staff and students were safely evacuated from the school.

Prime Minister Mark Carney expressed his devastation over the “horrific acts of violence” on social media platform X.

Preliminary indications suggested that the shooter may have been female or dressed in women's clothing.

Floyd refrained from disclosing whether the shooter was a student or an adult, citing privacy concerns and the ongoing investigation. However, he did confirm that the shooter matched the description provided in an active shooter alert issued to local phones.

This alert described the suspect as a brown-haired female wearing a dress.

Two individuals suffering from serious injuries were airlifted to a hospital, while 25 others were assessed for injuries at a local medical facility, according to police reports.

British Columbia’s Premier, David Eby, termed the event an “unimaginable tragedy” and assured that the government would provide every possible support to the community in the following days.

Floyd noted that the motives behind the attack have yet to be determined.

“I anticipate we will encounter challenges in understanding the ‘why,’ but we will make every effort to piece together what occurred,” he remarked.

The residence where the shootings took place was in proximity to the school, indicating a connection between the two locations.

Tumbler Ridge is a small coal mining town, home to approximately 2,400 residents, known for its dinosaur footprints and fossils.

Mass shootings are infrequent in Canada; the last significant school-related incident occurred in Montreal in 1989, resulting in 14 fatalities.

The deadliest massacre in recent Canadian history transpired in Nova Scotia in 2020, where a man killed 13 individuals over two days and subsequently set fire to nine others.