Demolition crews have started removing the exterior of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in northeastern B.C., a process expected to take weeks. The school has been closed since February 10 when 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar opened fire, killing five students and an educator before taking his own life. The province plans to build a new school on a different site, with temporary portable classrooms currently serving as a makeshift replacement. The demolition is the latest step in the aftermath of the shooting, which has been subject to ongoing court proceedings releasing hundreds of pages of documents detailing the incident.
Written by the local model on 2026-08-18,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Demolition crews began tearing down the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in northeastern B.C. on Monday, with photos showing exterior walls torn off and rubble on the ground. The demolition is expected to take weeks, after which the site will be restored to grass. The school was the site of a tragic shooting on February 10 that left 5 children and an educator dead, as well as their killer, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Prior to the shooting at the school, Van Rootselaar had killed his mother and half-brother at home. The demolition comes after hundreds of pages of court documents related to the shooting were released last week. Students will be attending classes in temporary portable classrooms until a new school is built in a different location, as promised by the province.
Written for “Tumbler Ridge School Demolished” on 2026-08-31,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
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No political leaning scored for article 1056 · logged 2026-08-25
Crews began removing the building’s exterior on Monday and photos from the scene show some walls torn off and rubble on the ground.
asserted
walls → begin → ground
The Peace River South School District said the demolition is expected to take weeks.
asserted
demolition → say → weeks
Once the structure is removed, work will continue through the fall to restore the site to grass.
asserted
work → remove → grass
The province has pledged to build a new school in the community in a different location and Premier David Eby said in May that students cannot return to the building where such a devastating tragedy took place.
uncertain
tragedy → pledge → place
Students will be attending classes in temporary portable classrooms until a new school is built in a different location.
asserted
school → attend → location
Five children and an educator were killed when 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar opened fire at the school in northeastern B.C. on Feb. 10.
asserted
Rootselaar → kill → Feb.
Before the school shooting, Rootselaar killed their mother and half-brother at their home.
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Rootselaar → kill → home
Van Rootselaar died at the school from a self-inflicted gunshot injury.
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Rootselaar → die → injury
Last week, hundreds of pages of court documents detailing what happened during the shooting were finally released.
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what → detail → shooting
Media outlets from across the country fought for transparency on behalf of the victims’ families, the community of Tumbler Ridge and the nation.
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outlets → fight → Ridge
The files reveal chilling new details about the killer, but a lot of information is still being withheld from the public.
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lot → reveal → public
A sworn police document known as an ITO, written by RCMP Const. Jonathan Paquin, confirms: “Jesse had mental health problems and was fascinated by firearms.”
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Jesse → swear → firearms
