A Tumbler Ridge co-conspirator has been arrested in the United States over February’s deadly school shooting in British Columbia. James Cody Bryant, 30, was taken into custody in Bellingham, Washington, and charged with conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country — an offence that carries a penalty of up to life in prison.
The arrest was announced on Tuesday at a joint press conference held by American and Canadian officials, including acting US Attorney Neil Floyd, FBI Seattle special agent in charge Mike Herrington and British Columbia RCMP assistant commissioner Elija Rain.
FAKTA
- Arrested: James Cody Bryant, 30, in Bellingham, Washington, on Tuesday
- Charge: conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country — up to life in prison
- The attack: 10 February 2026 at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, British Columbia — eight people killed, including six children
- The shooter: 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound
- Allegation: Bryant sent money, gave technical advice and agreed to livestream the attack to maximise the shooter’s notoriety
Arrest in Bellingham
Bryant was arrested on Tuesday in Bellingham, a city in western Washington state close to the Canadian border. Officials said he is being processed for an initial hearing in US federal court and could face further charges as the investigation continues.
Acting US Attorney Neil Floyd told reporters that Bryant had been “in repeated contact with the shooter”, offering advice, sending money and even agreeing to livestream what he called “a horrific event”.
“He had the information and ability to alert law enforcement, and even discussed that possibility with the suspect, but chose not to,” Floyd said.
Months of contact before the attack
According to FBI Seattle special agent in charge Mike Herrington, Bryant and Van Rootselaar met through Omegle, a now-defunct online video chatting site, and stayed in contact over several months — right up until the shooting.
In their messages, reviewed by investigators in their thousands, the pair discussed other mass shootings and the notoriety gained by those who commit them. Herrington said they talked in particular about Van Rootselaar’s desire to achieve “this form of notoriety”.
Officials said there is no indication that either man belonged to any particular extremist group. Reading their communications, Herrington said, offered insight into the motivations behind the crime, including what he described as “the general suffering that the shooter was experiencing”.
What investigators allege
Investigators allege that Bryant enabled the shooter over a period of months — providing technical advice, money and items to be used in the attack. He also agreed to record and broadcast a livestream of the attack on Twitch in a way that would, in Herrington’s words, “maximise notoriety for the shooter”.
Only about 20 seconds of footage was filmed before the stream was shut down, officials said.
“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,” Herrington said, adding that Bryant was fully aware when the murders had begun.
The February attack in Tumbler Ridge
The shooting on 10 February 2026 shocked the small mountain community of Tumbler Ridge, a town of about 2,700 people in the Canadian Rockies. Van Rootselaar first killed his mother and stepbrother at home, then went to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where he shot dead a 39-year-old teacher and five students aged 12 and 13.
Police arrived at the school within two minutes of the first call. Van Rootselaar was found dead inside the building from what police believe was a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The attack was one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canadian history. BC RCMP assistant commissioner Elija Rain said that within days of the shooting, Canadian police had contacted the US Department of Homeland Security about the shooter’s online chats, and the FBI immediately opened an investigation — co-operation he described as “invaluable”.
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