A Washington resident was arrested on Tuesday in connection with a deadly school shooting in Canada in February that left nine people dead, including the shooter.
James Cody Bryant of Bellingham, Washington, was arrested by federal authorities for allegedly communicating with Jesse Van Rootselaar, who is suspected of opening fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia.
Authorities allege Bryant, 30, communicated with Rootselaar, 18, in the six months leading up to the attack, but did not notify police of the deadly plot.
Rootselaar opened fire at the small mountain town school on Feb. 10. The shooter is suspected of killing a 39-year-old teacher and five students aged 13 and under at the school, as well as injuring roughly 25 others. Two more bodies were found in a house near the school, reported to be Rootselaar’s mother and 11-year-old step-brother, who Rootselaar allegedly killed before moving to the school. After the shooting, police said Rootselaar was found inside the school and died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Tumbler Ridge, located near the Alberta border in the Canadian Rocky Mountains, has a population of less than 3,000. The shooting was the deadliest mass shooting in Canada in years.
Bryant is biologically male but identifies as female, and Rootselaar similarly was biologically male and transitioned to female.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle, Bryant and Rootselaar discussed the attack, including which firearms to use and how to increase the number of casualties. Additionally, the pair concocted a plan to livestream the shooting.
During the conversations, Bryant allegedly coached Rootselaar on how to keep the plot secret and sent Rootselaar funds to purchase a light to ignite an explosive device. Bryant also allegedly attempted to talk Rootselaar down from committing the attack at certain points, but never notified police of the plan and provided support.
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“Without Bryant’s misplaced loyalty and willingness to operate the livestream, we don’t ultimately know if the shooter would have gone through with the crime,” said W. Mike Herrington, the special agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle office.
Department of Homeland Security investigators interviewed Bryant at the suspect’s home following the attack, and Bryant acknowledged the communication with Rootselaar on Discord but declined to give those messages to the FBI. Bryant was charged Tuesday with conspiracy to murder people in a foreign country.
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[ H/T Washington Examiner ]
