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US charges Washington man over Tumbler Ridge school shooting conspiracy
James Cody Bryant, 30, of Bellingham, was charged with conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country, accused of advising the shooter via Discord for six months, sending money and agreeing to broadcast the attack; he faces up to life in prison.
Why it matters
Eight months after the Tumbler Ridge school shooting, US authorities have brought the first criminal conspiracy charge connected to the attack, in a joint announcement with the FBI's Seattle office and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) — a sign the cross-border investigation into Canada's second-deadliest school shooting is still active.
What happened
On February 10, 2026, Jesse Van Rootselaar killed two family members at home, then drove to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where she shot dead five children aged 12 and 13 and an educational assistant, detonated an improvised explosive device that damaged the school, exchanged gunfire with police and then took her own life. Eight people died in total.
According to the Justice Department's October 6 release, Bryant had been in frequent contact with the shooter over Discord since no later than August 2025, discussing a plan to carry out a mass shooting in Canada. He allegedly agreed to record and broadcast the livestream of the murders, repeatedly helped test the streaming equipment, gave tactical advice on increasing the carnage and choosing firearms, sent money for items including a lighter used to build the explosive device, confirmed he was receiving the livestream moments before the attack, and advised deleting messages and using VPNs to cover their tracks.
The release also says Bryant at times tried to talk the shooter out of the attack but never contacted law enforcement — and after the shooter had killed two family members and could not start the family car, Bryant advised her how to get the engine to turn over, putting the school attack back in motion.
Officials at the joint announcement included Acting US Attorney Neil Floyd, FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington and BC RCMP Acting Commanding Officer Elija Rain. The case was investigated by the FBI with Homeland Security Investigations and the RCMP, and is being prosecuted by Assistant US Attorney Todd Greenberg with the Justice Department's National Security Division.
What's next
Conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country carries up to life in prison. The Justice Department notes the charges are allegations and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
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