Canada has been rocked by a rare school shooting in the rural town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.
Ten people are dead, including the alleged shooter.
The shooting is one of the deadliest mass casualty events in recent Canadian history and the deadliest shooting in Canada since 2020.
Here’s what we know.
What happened in Tumbler Ridge?
At 1.20pm February 10, local time, Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) were called to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School where a “lockdown and secure and hold” had been activated.
Police issued an official active shooter alert to the community describing the suspect as a female with brown hair, who was wearing a dress.
RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd said police entered the school to locate the threat.
Superintendent Ken Floyd confirmed the shooter was a woman. (Reuters: Royal Canadian Mounted Police)
“During the search, officers located multiple victims,” Superintendent Floyd said.
“An individual believed to be the shooter was also found deceased with what appears to be a self-inflicted injury.”
Seven people including the suspect were found dead at the scene, and an eighth died while being transported to a hospital.
Two more were found dead at a home police believe to be connected to the attack.
At least two other people were hospitalised with serious or life-threatening injuries and as many as 25 people were being treated for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
A total of 25 people were being treated at local medical centres. (CBC: Nicole Oud)
Where did the shooting occur?
Tumbler Ridge has a population of about 2,400 people and is more than 1,000 kilometres north of Vancouver.
Tumbler Ridge Secondary School’s website says it has 160 students from Grades 7 to 12.
“Because of the small size of TRSS, there is a tremendous sense of community, as we tend to create strong and enduring relationships among staff and students,” the school’s website reads.
In a statement, the school said it would be closed for the rest of the week.
“The district will make supports available and once we have the locations for where the supports will be, we will put that information on social media,” the statement said.
Who is the shooter?
RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd told reporters that investigators had identified a female suspect but would not release a name.
“We are not in a place to understand why or what may have motivated this tragedy,” he said.
He said police were still investigating how the victims were connected to the shooter, and that the shooter’s motive remained unclear.
Police earlier said officers were working to determine whether a second suspect had been involved.
“This was a rapidly evolving and dynamic situation, and the swift cooperation from the school, first responders, and the community played a critical role in our response,” Superintendent Floyd said.
Police outside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. (Supplied: X)
What do we know about the victims?
Police have yet to release details about the victims, both at the school and at the separate crime scene at the house.
Superintendent Floyd said officers were working to notify families first, before revealing the names and ages of victims.
Woman kills nine in shootings at school and house in Canada
Darian Quist, a student at the school, said “the reality of it all is starting to set in” in an interview with The National.
“I believe I knew somebody, but everything is still very fresh,” he said, adding that the whole situation was “surreal”.
“It felt like I was somewhere that I had only seen across a TV.”
Mr Quist said the people of Tumbler Ridge should “hold each other close”.
“We are going to be able to get through this.”
Prime minister pays tribute
Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka said the whole community was grieving.
“I broke down,” he said, when asked about learning how many had died.
“I have lived here for 18 years … I probably know every one of the victims.”
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said in statement on social media that he was devastated by the shooting.
“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,” he wrote.
British Columbia Premier David Eby told reporters he had spoken to Mr Carney after what he called the “unimaginable tragedy”.
British Columbia Premier David Eby. (Reuters)
“I know it’s causing us all to hug our kids a little bit tighter tonight,” he said.
“I’m asking the people of British Columbia to look after the people of Tumbler Ridge tonight.”
Canada’s government has responded to previous mass shootings with gun control measures, including a recently broadened ban on all guns it considers assault weapons.
Wires