Parents' Agonizing Wait for News After School Shooting Exposes Communication Gaps, as Student Who Performed CPR Became the One to Break the News

The parents of a 12-year-old girl killed in a school shooting in British Columbia were left in agonizing uncertainty for nearly nine hours before learning of their daughter's death, a detail that has since sparked questions about communication protocols during crises. Lance Younge and Jenny Geary, the parents of Kylie Smith, recounted their harrowing experience in an emotional interview, revealing that a student who performed CPR on their daughter for 45 minutes was the one who finally broke the news to them. 'I walked around the rec-center for about six hours looking for my child, and police wouldn't tell me anything,' Younge said, his voice trembling with grief. 'The police didn't tell us anything. We had to find out through the community, kids, and rumors in the stands.'

The tragedy unfolded on Tuesday afternoon when 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, a transgender individual who had previously identified as a girl, opened fire in the library of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. The shooter killed five students, a teacher, and his own mother and 11-year-old stepbrother before taking his own life. Van Rootselaar's actions left 25 others injured, including two 12-year-olds, Maya Gebala and Paige Hoekstra, who remain in critical condition. The school, with fewer than 175 students, is a tight-knit community where many families know one another, and the loss has left residents reeling.

Kylie Smith, described by her father as 'the light of our family,' was a 12-year-old who dreamed of attending school in Toronto and had a passion for art and anime. Her stepmother, Jenny Geary, lamented the excruciating wait for information, saying the delay left the family grasping for answers through media reports and community speculation. 'We were watching the news put up body counts and we weren't being told anything,' Younge said. 'We were doing numbers and math and figuring out if our kid was in a helicopter or if our kid was dead.'

Authorities have revealed that firearms were confiscated from Van Rootselaar's home in the past, though they were later returned to the lawful owner. The RCMP confirmed that police had attended the family's residence years ago, seizing weapons under the Criminal Code. Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald noted that Van Rootselaar's mother, Jennifer, did not hold a valid firearms license at the time of her death. The shooter, known locally as Jesse Strang, had a history of mental health struggles, including a period of non-attendance at school and an incident where he was 'apprehended for assessment' under the country's mental health act.

Van Rootselaar's actions have raised urgent questions about his motives, though no clear answers have emerged. Neighbors described him as a 'quiet kid' who often sat alone in corners, a stark contrast to the devastation he unleashed. Lance Younge, still reeling from the loss, urged the public to focus on the victims rather than the shooter. 'Let's stop giving this psychopath the recognition,' he pleaded. 'These kids were lost before they got to become teenagers.'

The tragedy has also left a profound impact on the wider community. Tumbler Ridge residents gathered for a vigil to honor the victims, while family members of the deceased grapple with the aftermath. Kylie's aunt, Sharon Dycke, shared that the family is raising funds for Smith's funeral and travel costs, as her mother had recently relocated to Vancouver Island. 'Kylie's dad and step-mom are caring for her brother and step-brother right now, and their world, our world, has crumbled,' Dycke wrote, emphasizing the need for unity in the face of such unimaginable loss.

As the community mourns, experts have called for a renewed focus on mental health support and school safety measures. The incident has reignited debates about gun control, access to mental health resources, and the challenges faced by transgender youth. For now, the family of Kylie Smith and the broader Tumbler Ridge community remain in the throes of grief, their lives irrevocably altered by a single, senseless act.