Canadian authorities on Tuesday identified the gunman who killed eight people, mostly children, at a British Columbia school.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has named Jessie Van Rootseller, 18, of Tumbler Ridge, as the suspect and believes she shot and killed her 39-year-old mother, 11-year-old brother-in-law, 39-year-old teacher, three 12-year-old girls, and two boys, ages 12 and 13, before dying by suicide.
Related: No, transgender and non-binary people don’t commit mass shootings more often.
Deputy Chief Dwayne MacDonald said at a news conference that police have responded to multiple welfare checks with weapons at Rousselaer’s home over the past several years. press conference Wednesday’s case includes an incident from two years ago in which police seized a firearm from her. She had been detained multiple times for evaluation and observation under the National Mental Health Act and had no registered firearm at the time of the shooting.
MacDonald said Rootseller was assigned male at birth but began transitioning six years ago. RCMP has not identified her as transgender, and authorities have identified the suspects as having “chosen to be identified in public and on social media” and Rootseller as “socially and publicly” female.
Luetzeler’s identity has been used to denigrate the trans community, and conservatives were blaming trans people for the tragedy even before the suspect was named. Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) Tara Armstrong said: post It is said that “violence against transgender people is endemic in Western countries,” and they use this opportunity to attack gender-affirming care by falsely claiming that “affirming delusions is not care, but neglect.”
The U.S. Secret Service Threat Assessment Center examined 172 mass attacks from 2016 to 2020 and found that 96 percent of the perpetrators were cisgender men. defender previously reported that out of more than 4,600 mass shootings between 2014 and 2024, at most six involved transgender suspects, a rate of just 0.128 percent. Because transgender people make up only 1% of the U.S. population, they are much less likely to be the perpetrators of mass shootings than the overall population.
Related: If the shooter is MAGA and anti-LGBTQ+, the right suddenly loses interest in conspiracy theories
Transgender people are also more likely to be victims of violence than LGB people, and significantly more likely to be victims than perpetrators of violence.
“Our thoughts are with the family, loved ones and everyone affected by this tragic incident,” said Superintendent Ken Floyd, commander of the North District. statement. “This has been an incredibly difficult and emotional day for our community, and we are grateful for the cooperation shown as our officers continue to work to advance this investigation.”
Source: Advocate.com – www.advocate.com
