An 18-year-old has been identified as the suspect in a shooting that claimed the lives of eight people and injured dozens more in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, according to BBC World. The suspect, Jesse Van Rootselaar, was found dead at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. The motive for the attack, which occurred at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and a nearby home, remains unknown.
The shootings sent shock waves through the small Canadian town, located 415 miles northeast of Vancouver. Six people were killed at the secondary school, while the suspect's mother, 39, and step-brother, 11, were found dead at a nearby home. Authorities stated that Van Rootselaar was born a biological male but identified as a woman. The community, comprised of just 2,500 people, is described as tight-knit, and residents expressed their fear and disbelief. "I will know every victim. I've been here 19 years," one resident said, according to BBC World.
The incident has deeply impacted the community, with many residents still grappling with the magnitude of the tragedy. The school was placed on lockdown during the shooting, leaving many unaware of the unfolding events.
In other news, a powerful cyclone, Gezani, struck Madagascar, resulting in at least 31 deaths. The cyclone made landfall on Tuesday, hitting the island's main port, Toamasina. The disaster management office reported "total chaos," with houses collapsing and neighborhoods plunged into darkness due to snapped power lines. "What happened is a disaster, nearly 75 of the city of Toamasina was destroyed," said the country's military leader, according to BBC World.
Meanwhile, a report by the children's commissioner for England revealed that children are routinely exposed to advertisements for weight loss injections and pills online. The report found that young people were "bombarded" with ads for products claiming to change their bodies and appearance, despite this kind of advertising being banned. Dame Rachel de Souza called the posts "immensely damaging" to young people's self-esteem and called for a ban on social media advertising to children, according to BBC Technology.
In a separate development, the world's largest social media companies are facing accusations of creating "addiction machines." A landmark trial began in California examining the mental health effects of Instagram and YouTube. Mark Lanier, representing the plaintiff, argued that his client suffered from mental health issues as a result of social media addiction. "These companies built machines designed to addict the brains of children, and they did it on purpose," Lanier said, according to BBC Technology.
Discussion
AI Experts & Community
Be the first to comment