Trans radical who massacred kids in Canadian school allegedly had American support

An American may have helped facilitate a mass murder at a school in Canada earlier this year committed by a teenage adult man pretending to be a woman.

On Feb. 10, Jesse Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old trans-identifying man, murdered his mother and half-brother, then traveled to a secondary school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, where he proceeded to injure 25 people and murder a 39-year-old female teacher, three 12-year-old girls, and two boys, ages 12 and 13, before taking his own life.

'I know I can like, save lives I guess but idk.'

Now it seems Van Rootselaar plotted the massacre with the help of a radical from Washington state. James Cody Bryant, a 30-year-old Bellingham resident, was arrested on Tuesday and charged with conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country.

"The Tumbler Ridge Secondary School shooting was a horrific tragedy for that small community and for all of Canada. Indeed, here in the Pacific Northwest we felt the pain of those families devastated by this violence," acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd said in a statement. "It is even more profoundly disturbing to learn that a resident of Western Washington had a role in the attack and took steps — providing counsel, technical advice, and money to the shooter planning such a tragedy."

The FBI noted that the duo first met online on the chat service Omegle before it was shut down in 2023.

The criminal complaint alleges that Bryant began conspiring to murder innocents with the Canadian-based trans radical in August 2025; "agreed to record J.V.R.’s livestream of the planned murders and post it over the internet for the public to view"; ensured that the livestream "look[ed] solid"; and even provided the shooter with tactical advice on how best to execute the massacre.

The FBI obtained Discord messages that allegedly show Bryant and Van Rootselaar discussing optimal ways of maximizing carnage.

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In early August 2025, the shooter allegedly discussed previous Canadian mass shootings, noting, "Getting 14 kills is a lot easier than getting 22, though if I got more than 22 it'd be simply the deadliest shooting in Canadian history period."

After Van Rootselaar articulated his desire to best previous school shooting kill counts, Bryant allegedly responded, "Hallways also mean a lot of ways people can escape. Corners to turn. Wide open spaces mean numbers."

Justice Department

In addition to discussing places where the shooter could play "hide and seek" with the greatest number of potential victims, Bryant advised the trans radical on which weapons to use, prosecutors alleged in the complaint.

Bryant allegedly told the shooter in an Aug. 26 message, "[You] should have a handgun if you can manage a print tbh," then allegedly added, "You've got solid plans."

A modified handgun and a long gun were recovered at the scene of the massacre, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Justice Department

In December, Bryant allegedly told Van Rootselaar that he "definitely would" have fans after committing the murders and suggested further that people would "probably" be mad if the shooter were romanticized after the planned massacre.

Prosecutors further alleged that Bryant provided Van Rootselaar with financial support "to purchase items for use during the attack, including the shoes Van Rootselaar intended to wear, a lighter Van Rootselaar would use to ignite an explosive device, and stickers to decorate the firearms Van Rootselaar would use to commit the murders, and discussed possibly sending the shooter a 3D-printed firearm kit and related gear.

The shooter shared an image on Discord in August 2025 showing a sticker depicting the trans flag superimposed on the planet Saturn that he had apparently put on the receiver of a shotgun. Bryant allegedly said of the picture, "Love the stickers. [] stickers would be so funny to be seen in photos of the incident."

Bryant and Van Rootselaar also allegedly discussed whether the livestream of the attack should contain an audio feed.

After the shooter expressed concern about about how his voice might sound while slaughtering innocents, Bryant allegedly suggested silence, stating, "No lasting evidence of your voice, just a pretty girl gunning ppl down."

When the topic of alerting the relevant authorities to the murder plot came up, Bryant allegedly emphasized on multiple occasions that he would not "snitch," allegedly stating in one instance, "I could. I don’t want to honestly. I know I can like, save lives I guess but idk."

Despite allegedly egging on Van Rootselaar for months and failing to alert authorities, Bryant apparently had a change of heart just weeks ahead of the shooting.

On Jan. 4, the American allegedly told the shooter, "I truly hope you reconsider today. I wish there were any other path for you, you shouldn’t have to do something like this. I wish I knew what I could say or do to change your mind."

Despite this alleged attempt to dissuade the shooter from acting on his bloodlust, Bryant allegedly made clear that he was ready to lend his support on the day of the massacre.

According to prosecutors, Van Rootselaar allegedly sent Bryant photos of himself prepared for the attack. In one photo, the shooter is dressed in women's clothing and the boots that Bryant allegedly bought for him and armed with a rifle that appears to be equipped with a suppressor painted in the colors of the trans-radical flag.

Van Rootselaar began masquerading as a woman roughly six years ago, and Wikipedia, the liberal media, and the Justice Department continue to falsely refer to him as a female.

Justice Department

During the shooting, Bryant allegedly confirmed that he was watching the feed — which U.S. Attorney Floyd indicated had been terminated by Twitch after approximately 20 seconds — and even allegedly counseled Van Rootselaar on how to start the vehicle that Van Rootselaar drove to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.

If convicted, Bryant could be thrown in prison for the rest of his life.

When asked on Tuesday whether Bryant might be sent to Canada to face prosecution, Floyd noted that the alleged crimes were committed in the U.S. and that the "penalties may be higher" in America.

"On behalf of the FBI, I want to express heartfelt sympathy for the victims of this tragedy and their loved ones," said W. Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of the FBI Seattle field office. "No investigation can undo the fear and suffering caused by the horrific events of this February or bring these individuals back to their families, school, or community. We mourn with you."

Elija Rain, acting commanding officer of the British Columbua RCMP, said in a statement, "Today’s arrest and charge announcement by the FBI reflects the months of investigative effort, cooperation, and coordination between our two agencies"

The RCMP apparently contacted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after receiving information from one of the online platforms used by the shooter.

"I would like to thank the FBI Seattle and the United States Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington for their partnership, professionalism, and commitment throughout this complex investigation," continued Rain. "Their cooperation and expertise have been invaluable in advancing the work across jurisdictions and ensuring that all available evidence could be thoroughly examined."

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