Ezekiel Schofield was a vibrant and cherished 13-year-old boy known for his "larger-than-life smile and a loud-and-proud laugh." A student at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, Ezekiel was an avid hockey player with the local U13 Raptors team. He was a beloved grandson, son, friend, and teammate who brought joy to those who knew him.
Beyond sports, Ezekiel had a passion for technology and creativity; he aspired to become a software developer and artist and was in the process of building his own video game. His family, friends, and the entire Tumbler Ridge community remember a warm and spirited young man whose future was full of promise.
The ordinary school day of Tuesday, February 10, 2026, was shattered by an act of horrific violence that would become one of Canada's deadliest mass shootings. The perpetrator, 18-year-old former student Jesse Van Rootselaar, first killed her mother and 11-year-old half-brother at their family home on Fellers Avenue. Van Rootselaar then drove to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. At approximately 1:20 p.m., the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) began receiving calls about an active shooter at the school, which housed about 175 students. Van Rootselaar, armed with a long gun and a modified rifle, moved through the school, shooting indiscriminately. Ezekiel Schofield was shot and killed outside the school library.
The attack was swift and devastating. In total, Van Rootselaar killed six people at the school: Ezekiel, four other students—Abel Mwansa, 12, Kylie Smith, 12, Zoey Benoit, 12, and Ticaria Lampert, 12—and a 39-year-old educational assistant, Shannda Aviugana-Durand. An additional 27 people were injured in the rampage. RCMP officers arrived at the school within two minutes of the first call and exchanged fire with the shooter. Soon after, Van Rootselaar was found deceased inside the school from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The investigation, led by the BC RCMP, confirmed that Van Rootselaar acted alone in the physical attack. The motive remains under investigation, though it was revealed the shooter had a history of mental health issues and a fascination with firearms. In the months following the tragedy, the investigation expanded. In October 2026, a 30-year-old U.S. citizen from Washington state was arrested and charged with conspiracy to murder, accused of aiding Van Rootselaar in planning the attack. The shooting also led to multiple lawsuits filed by victims' families, including Ezekiel's parents, against the tech company OpenAI, alleging the shooter used its artificial intelligence platform to plan the massacre.
The profound loss of Ezekiel and the other victims plunged the small, close-knit community of Tumbler Ridge into deep mourning. Ezekiel's grandfather, Peter Schofield, expressed the family's immense grief. "Everything feels so surreal. The tears just keep flowing," he shared in a statement. "So many young lives were ended so needlessly. Our hearts are broken not only for Ezekiel, but for every family affected by this tragedy." A lawsuit filed by Ezekiel's parents, Timm and Rebekah Schofield, poignantly stated, "The Schofields will never see E.S. reach 14, finish building the video game he was working on, or reach any of the milestones they had been waiting for."
In the wake of the tragedy, the community came together to support the grieving families through vigils and fundraisers. Mental health supports were made available to students, staff, and all residents affected. Premier David Eby visited the town and promised that students would not be forced to return to the high school building where the trauma occurred. Temporary classrooms were set up for students to return to a structured learning environment with trauma experts on site. As of October 2026, the legal cases related to the shooting were ongoing as the community continued its long and difficult journey toward healing.
