Canadian high school where deadly mass shooting occurred to be torn down

"The decision to demolish the Tumbler Ridge secondary school came after meetings between the school board and survivors, family and community members, said British Columbia premier David Eby. We want to make sure we're doing things right by the survivors, by the families, by the people of Tumbler Ridge, he told reporters. [The school board] heard overwhelmingly was that the students, the educators, the staff and others wanted to move to a new location, he said on Thursday."

"Nine people were killed and dozens injured after Jesse Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old former student at the school, opened fire during a school day in February. The shooter was later found dead from a self-inflicted injury. In an attack that left the country emotionally shattered, police found six people dead inside the school and two more victims the shooter's sibling and mother were later found at a residence connected to the shooter."

"When he spoke at a community vigil days after the shooting, Eby promised the community that the youth of Tumbler Ridge would never have to return to the low slung brick building where tragedy struck. We will provide a safe place for you to go to school, he said at the event, which also attended by political leaders from across the country. The school will be demolished over the summer and a new building will be constructed in a different part of the remote mountain town."

"Tumbler Ridge secondary school has remained closed since the shooting, but some students have been attending classes in small portable classrooms on the school grounds. As a province, we're committed to getting this new school built as quickly as possible within our authorities as a provincial government, Eby said, adding that the federal government will also help fund the project."

Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, the site of one of Canada’s deadliest school shootings, will be torn down and replaced with a new building in another part of the remote mountain town. The decision followed meetings between the school board and survivors, family members, and community participants. Officials said the overwhelming message was that students, educators, staff, and others wanted to move to a new location. In February, nine people were killed and dozens were injured when an 18-year-old former student opened fire during a school day. Police later found six victims inside the school and two more at a residence connected to the shooter. The school has remained closed, with some students attending classes in portable classrooms on the grounds, while demolition is planned for the summer and construction will proceed with provincial and federal funding.

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