People in the small Canadian town of Tumbler Ridge have reacted with shock and disbelief after nine people were killed and at least 25 wounded in a shooting at a local secondary school and home. Members of the remote community, 415 miles (667 km) northeast of the western city of Vancouver, spoke of their fear and uncertainty during the school lockdown, as no-one appeared to be aware of the magnitude of what was unfolding. They described how close the community of just 2500 people was, and how devastated it would be by what had happened. I will know every victim. I've been here 19 years, and we're a small community, town mayor Darryl Krakowka told Canadian broadcaster CBC. I don't call them residents. I call them family, he added.
Chris Norbury, a town councillor, was as close as anyone in Tumbler Ridge to the shooting. His wife teaches at the secondary school, his daughter attends the nearby elementary school, and he works at the visitor centre just a block away. Speaking to the BBC World Service's Newsday programme, he explained how scared and anxious he felt as he waited for news of his wife. He first realized something was wrong when his daughter's school called him to say they were in lockdown. He was able to contact his wife, who was also under lockdown, but by the time he found out from an emergency alert that there was an active shooter, he was unable to contact her again.
We just had to speculate and jump into social media to see what was going on - there was a lot of speculation... but being who I am I just wanted to stay calm as best I could and wait for the facts, Norbury said. That proved far from easy, though. It was terrifying, it's hard to put into words the dread and the fear that you feel knowing that a loved one is in danger, he said.
Meanwhile, Darian Quist, a grade 12 student at the school, described how he and his classmates barricaded their classroom doors after they realized the severity of the situation. His mother Shelley, working at the local hospital at the time, shared how they stayed connected by phone amid the chaos and uncertainty. The small community, known for its low crime rate and familial bonds, now faces the painful aftermath of this unimaginable event. As recovery efforts begin and families grieve, the town reflects on what it means to come together in the face of such tragedy.
Chris Norbury, a town councillor, was as close as anyone in Tumbler Ridge to the shooting. His wife teaches at the secondary school, his daughter attends the nearby elementary school, and he works at the visitor centre just a block away. Speaking to the BBC World Service's Newsday programme, he explained how scared and anxious he felt as he waited for news of his wife. He first realized something was wrong when his daughter's school called him to say they were in lockdown. He was able to contact his wife, who was also under lockdown, but by the time he found out from an emergency alert that there was an active shooter, he was unable to contact her again.
We just had to speculate and jump into social media to see what was going on - there was a lot of speculation... but being who I am I just wanted to stay calm as best I could and wait for the facts, Norbury said. That proved far from easy, though. It was terrifying, it's hard to put into words the dread and the fear that you feel knowing that a loved one is in danger, he said.
Meanwhile, Darian Quist, a grade 12 student at the school, described how he and his classmates barricaded their classroom doors after they realized the severity of the situation. His mother Shelley, working at the local hospital at the time, shared how they stayed connected by phone amid the chaos and uncertainty. The small community, known for its low crime rate and familial bonds, now faces the painful aftermath of this unimaginable event. As recovery efforts begin and families grieve, the town reflects on what it means to come together in the face of such tragedy.
