Continuing to Stand With Tumbler Ridge: Care, Reflection, and Support
It has been a few weeks since the tragic shooting in Tumbler Ridge, and we continue to hold deep care for everyone impacted. We stand in solidarity with the families, youth, educators, and community members navigating profound grief.
Even from a distance, events like this can affect young people and families across the province – including here on the North Shore. Trauma does not unfold in a straight line, and feelings may surface or resurface at different points in the future. Ongoing support, compassionate conversation, and access to care remain essential.
Read our full statement, including available crisis and mental health resources.
Share this articleWe continue to hold deep care for everyone impacted by the tragic shooting in Tumbler Ridge a few weeks ago. We are thinking of the families, friends, classmates, educators, first responders, and the entire community as they navigate unimaginable grief in the weeks, months, and years ahead. While many of those directly affected were youth, we also recognize the educators and adults whose lives have been deeply impacted by this tragedy.
When violence occurs in a place where youth are meant to feel safe, it disrupts a young person’s sense of stability and trust in the world around them. It shakes a community’s foundation. Students, parents, school staff, and community members may be experiencing shock, sadness, anger, fear, or numbness – even across the province. These responses are normal. Trauma does not unfold in a straight line, and feelings may surface, or resurface, at different points in the future.
In the days following an event like this, it’s common for young people to feel unsettled – to have trouble sleeping, concentrating, or making sense of what happened. Some may withdraw or seem different than usual, while others may appear “fine” on the surface while carrying a great deal internally. All of these responses are valid.
To the youth who are trying to process this in your own way: you deserve spaces where you can talk openly, ask questions, and express your feelings. You don’t have to minimize your experiences or carry them alone. There are adults, counsellors, and support lines ready to listen without judgment.
To parents and caregivers: create space for conversation. Lead with curiosity and reassurance. Validate emotions, monitor for changes in mood or behaviour, and consider limiting exposure to distressing or graphic content online. Seeking support early can make a meaningful difference.
We also urge care in how we speak about this tragedy. We must avoid speculation about why this violence occurred and resist linking mental illness – or any identity – to acts of violence. Most people living with mental illness are not violent. Harmful assumptions and stigmatizing language can prevent people from seeking help and deepen division at a time when compassion is most needed.
Resources
If you or someone you know needs support in BC, help is available 24/7:
- 310 Mental Health Line: 310-6789
- 988 Suicide Crisis Helpline (call or text): 9-8-8
- Kids Help Phone: 1-800-668-6868 or text CONNECT to 686868
- Northern BC 24-Hour Crisis Line: 1-888-562-1214
- Trans Lifeline: 1-877-330-6366
If you or someone you know needs support on the North Shore, the Crisis Response, Community-Led (CRCL) North Shore team is available:
7 days a week, 8am to 12am (16 hours a day):
Call us: 1 (888) 261-7228
Text us: (778) 839-1831
Learn more: crclnorthshore.ca
Our trained crisis workers respond to mental health crises in-person, offering immediate assistance, de-escalation, and follow-up support to individuals 13+ on the North Shore.
CRCL services are also available in other regions across British Columbia – visit crcl.ca for details and service hours.
