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By: Isuru Parakrama
February 12, Colombo (LNW): The Sri Lankan government has formally expressed its deepest sympathies to the Canadian people following the devastating loss of life in British Columbia.
Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath issued a poignant statement on Thursday (12), conveying the island nation’s solidarity with those mourning in the wake of a shooting that claimed nine lives and left at least 25 individuals requiring urgent medical treatment.
The Minister remarked that his thoughts were firmly with the bereaved families, offering prayers for the resilience and recovery of the local community during such a dark hour for the Commonwealth nation.
The investigation into the carnage at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School has identified the perpetrator as Jesse Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old student. Local constabulary confirmed that the teenager was discovered deceased at the educational facility from a self-inflicted wound after the rampage.
The scale of the tragedy extended beyond the school grounds; while six victims were targeted at the campus, the bodies of the suspect’s 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old step-brother were later uncovered at a residential property nearby.
Federal authorities are currently grappling with the complexity of the case as they attempt to establish a definitive motive for the violence. Details regarding the suspect’s background have begun to surface, with officials noting that while Van Rootselaar was male at birth, they had more recently adopted a female identity.
Internet was laser-quick to establish hate and anti-trans rhetoric against the perpetrator, propagating speculation in the making of the queer community a target of online prejudice and discrimination. While the alleged crime remains a call for justice in the court of law, scapegoating marginalised communities based on the act of one should be considered unwarranted.
Deeply saddened by the tragic shooting at a school in British Columbia, Canada. On behalf of the Government and people of Sri Lanka, I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families who have lost their loved ones and wish a speedy recovery to those injured.
— Vijitha Herath (@HMVijithaHerath) February 11, 2026
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