Anti-Trans Hate Surges Following Tumbler Ridge School Shooting

A recent school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, has sparked a wave of anti-trans rhetoric online. On February 11, police described a suspect as a “female in a dress” during a lockdown at the local high school. The situation escalated dramatically when the suspect was identified as Jesse Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old transgender woman. This led to a barrage of criticism aimed at the transgender community, politicians, and healthcare professionals.

Following the identification of the shooter, right-wing media outlets intensified their narratives, attributing the violence to the acceptance of transgender individuals and even the presence of a Pride flag at the school. A commentator on a livestream by Rebel News, Lise Merle, controversially stated, “Do you know what that flag on schools in Canada means now? Danger, danger.” This sentiment reflects a troubling pattern identified by Alejandra Caraballo, a U.S. lawyer who tracks online hate against trans individuals. Caraballo noted that similar accusations have frequently emerged after mass shootings in the United States, regardless of the shooter’s identity.

The narrative surrounding the Tumbler Ridge shooting aligns with a broader trend of scapegoating the transgender community. A 2025 fact sheet from GLAAD, an organization dedicated to LGBTQ2S+ rights, found that out of 5,748 mass shootings in the U.S. from 2013 to 2025, only five were committed by transgender individuals, accounting for just 0.1 percent. The report also highlighted a lack of evidence supporting claims of increasing radicalization among transgender people.

The online response to the Tumbler Ridge incident included misleading social media posts. An account known as The Pleb Reporter shared images of an unrelated transgender woman, claiming she was connected to the shooting. Although the account later retracted the post, the misleading images had already circulated widely, demonstrating the rapid spread of misinformation.

Steven Rai, a senior analyst at the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, investigated Van Rootselaar’s social media presence. He noted that while she had openly discussed her struggles with mental health, including depression and obsessive-compulsive disorder, he found no evidence that her transgender identity motivated her actions during the shooting.

Echoing these sentiments, Evan Balgord, executive director of the Canadian Anti-Hate Network, emphasized that the rhetoric from certain commentators meets the criteria for hate speech in Canada. He remarked that courts have recognized the dangers of using real tragedies to demonize entire groups.

In the aftermath of the shooting, right-wing figures have called for a rollback of protections for transgender individuals. Tara Armstrong, an Independent MLA in British Columbia, has made several posts on social media attributing the shooting to the perpetrator’s transgender identity. Balgord criticized this behavior, drawing parallels to how other marginalized groups have been unfairly blamed for violence based on the actions of individuals.

The situation has raised concerns among advocates for the transgender community, who argue that acceptance and support are crucial for mental health. Jaigris Hodson, a professor at Royal Roads University, noted that the anti-trans discourse has intensified following the shooting. She expressed alarm at the degree to which the trans community has been scapegoated, not just in this incident but in a broader context.

As discussions surrounding this tragedy continue, it is essential to recognize the impact of rhetoric on vulnerable communities. The blame directed at the transgender community following the Tumbler Ridge shooting reflects a wider societal issue, highlighting the need for compassion and understanding rather than division and hate.