SEATTLE (AP) — Federal authorities have arrested and charged a 30-year-old resident from Bellingham, Washington, named James Cody Bryant for allegedly encouraging an 18-year-old to commit one of the deadliest school shootings in Canadian history. The incident, which took place in February, involved Bryant allegedly offering to livestream the attack, providing financial assistance, and sharing advice on evading law enforcement while keeping the plan confidential.
The U.S. attorney's office in Seattle announced that Bryant communicated with Jesse Van Rootselaar, the accused shooter from British Columbia, for a period of at least six months leading up to the tragic event. Notably, Bryant identifies as female and allegedly failed to report Van Rootselaar's intentions to authorities.
W. Mike Herrington, the special agent in charge of the FBI's Seattle office, indicated the significant role Bryant played in the planned attack. “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 stated.
The details of the shooting reveal a chilling sequence of events. Van Rootselaar reportedly began the attack by killing his mother and stepbrother at their home before proceeding to a nearby school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. There, he tragically took the lives of five children aged 12 and 13, along with an educational assistant, and wounded 25 others. Van Rootselaar was subsequently found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Bryant has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, a charge described by Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd as “novel” for cases of this nature. It remains unclear whether Bryant has legal representation; a court appearance was scheduled for the afternoon of the announcement.
According to the complaint, Bryant communicated with Van Rootselaar through Discord, providing tactical advice to maximize the impact of the killings. Bryant specifically noted the layout of hallways, which could facilitate escape routes, and suggested that “wide open spaces mean numbers,” indicating a focus on maximizing casualties.
Moreover, Bryant financially assisted Van Rootselaar by sending money for a lighter intended for building an explosive device, and advised him on how to erase online messages and use virtual private networks to maintain secrecy regarding their plans. Despite expressing hesitation about the attack at various times, Bryant ultimately chose not to inform law enforcement and instead provided support for the execution of the shooting.
In response to the allegations, Canadian Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree expressed deep concern, stating that the news was devastating. He emphasized the importance of holding those responsible accountable, noting, “Nothing will bring back the eight lives that were devastated back in February.” Anandasangaree also mentioned it is too early to determine if Bryant could face charges in Canada, but emphasized the possibility of Canadian prosecution if it is established that Canadian laws were violated.
Bob Zimmer, the federal lawmaker representing Tumbler Ridge, voiced his dismay regarding the situation, highlighting the troubling nature of the allegations that suggest Bryant coached the shooter throughout the planning stages in an effort to livestream the event.
Tumbler Ridge is located over 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) northeast of Vancouver, British Columbia, and is near the provincial border with Alberta. The Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, which was targeted in the attack, serves students from Grades 7 to 12 and has an enrollment of around 175 students.
In one related development, families of the victims have initiated a lawsuit against artificial intelligence company OpenAI in U.S. federal court. The families are seeking to hold the ChatGPT developer accountable for allegedly failing to alert law enforcement about the alarming interactions the shooter had exhibited with the chatbot prior to the attack.
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The story and headline have been updated to accurately identify Bryant as a resident of Washington state. Authorities have confirmed that Bryant identifies as female.
