RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme has confirmed in a letter to advocacy groups like PolySeSouvient that details regarding firearms used in the February mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., will remain undisclosed as part of an ongoing investigation. The RCMP cites operational secrecy and the need for further evidence collection as reasons for withholding information, despite calls from advocacy groups for greater transparency to address potential gaps in gun control laws. Eighteen-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar committed the shooting that killed eight people before taking her own life.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-09-28,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
In February 2023, a mass shooting occurred in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., where multiple people were killed at a home and school. The RCMP have refused to release details about the firearms used in the incident, citing an ongoing investigation. In a letter dated September 23, RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme reiterated this stance when responding to advocacy groups like PolySeSouvient. These groups argue that transparency is crucial to prevent future tragedies and understand gaps in gun control laws. Despite their push for more information, the RCMP maintains operational secrecy, emphasizing public safety concerns while the case remains active.
Written for “Tumbler Ridge Shooting Investigation” on 2026-10-05,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
RCMP says it still won't share more details on firearms used in Tumbler Ridge shooting
Advocacy groups say it's still not clear why secrecy is needed after February mass shooting
RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme says in a recent letter that information about firearms used in the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., will stay under wraps for now because it's still part of an active investigation.
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it → say → investigation
The Sept. 23 letter from Duheme to PolySeSouvient and four other gun control advocacy groups echoes a statement from an RCMP spokesperson earlier this month about the deadly February shootings at a home and school in the small B.C. community.
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letter → echo → community
PolySeSouvient made a copy of Duheme's letter available to CBC News and The Canadian Press.
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copy → make → News
In a Sept. 14 letter to Duheme, the groups said that as the new school year begins, students, parents, teachers and communities deserve verified information that could help address failures in gun control law or its enforcement before another shooting happens.
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shooting → say → law
"In a mass murder investigation like the one at Tumbler Ridge, operational secrecy and public accountability can coexist," the groups said in their letter.
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groups → coexist → letter
"Police should operate on a principle of maximum transparency and minimum secrecy to maintain public trust, prevent misinformation and allow informed debates about potential policy changes to increase public safety from gun violence."
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Police → operate → violence
Eighteen-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar killed eight people in the Feb. 10 shooting before taking her own life.
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Rootselaar → kill → life
No clear explanation for secrecy: PolySeSouvient
A consortium of media outlets is taking legal action to obtain information about the guns used in the mass shooting and weapons seized from Van Rootselaar's home.
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consortium → take → home
Information about the firearms "is subject to an active investigation, which will conclude only once all investigative avenues have been exhausted and the evidence suggests there are no additional leads to follow," Duheme said in his letter to the gun control groups.
"
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Duheme → conclude → groups
The specific timeline for the investigation depends on the progress of gathering and analysis of digital and physical evidence and so cannot be determined in advance.
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timeline → depend → advance
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In the letter, Duheme also cited the B.C. Coroners Service announcement of an inquest into the mass shooting.
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Duheme → rally → shooting
"The RCMP is committed to participating fully in this process if and when our officers, employees or subject matter experts are called to provide evidence," Duheme said.
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Duheme → commit → evidence
The RCMP will conduct a thorough review of any recommendations made by the coroner to determine their implications and how to best implement them, if necessary.
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RCMP → conduct → them
Please rest assured that applying lessons learned from tragedies such as this is of the utmost importance to the RCMP and its executive cadre."
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applying → rest → RCMP
"Seven months after the Tumbler Ridge shooting, Canadians still do not know basic facts about the firearms used to kill six children, an educator and a parent," PolySeSouvient said in a statement to The Canadian Press.
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PolySeSouvient → know → Press
Duheme's response offers no clear explanation of which facts must remain confidential and no indication of when the public can expect answers, the group added.
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group → offer → answers
We recognize that police must protect an active investigation.
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police → recognize → investigation
We are not asking for witness accounts, investigative tactics or anything that could jeopardize a prosecution," PolySeSouvient said.
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PolySeSouvient → ask → prosecution
"But an ongoing investigation cannot become a blanket reason to withhold every verified fact about the firearms, and a coroner's inquest should not mean waiting even longer for answers that can safely be provided sooner."
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that → become → answers
The Aporia
