Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd says a 30-year-old Washington man has been arrested and charged with conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country in relation to the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C.
U.S. authorities say James Bryant of Bellingham, Wash., first met Tumbler Ridge shooter Jesse van Rootselaar on the now-defunct online chat platform Omegle in 2023, and went on to assist him with money, advice, and encouragement to carry out the school shooting.
The attack, carried out on Feb. 10, 2026, left eight victims dead and 27 injured, along with 18-year-old Van Rootselaar, who died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
“James Cody Bryant had the information and ability to alert law enforcement and even discussed that possibility with the shooter, but he chose not to,” Floyd said at an Oct. 6 press conference in Seattle. “Instead, he encouraged and offered assistance to a murderer.”
Floyd was accompanied at the Oct. 6 announcement by FBI Seattle Special Agent Mike Herrington and B.C. RCMP Acting Commanding Officer Assistant Commissioner Elijah Rain. The agencies worked jointly on the investigation.
Canadian authorities have said Van Rootselaar had a history of mental health-related contact with police and said officers had also attended his family’s residence over firearms concerns.
Following their initial contact, Van Rootselaar and Bryant’s online conversations became increasingly focused on carrying out violence, and allegedly included thousands of messages sent on various platforms including Discord, according to Herrington.
“I read a lot of court documents, including some that discuss incredibly heinous acts of violence, but this complaint was particularly difficult to read in part because of the casual tone these two individuals used when discussing the mass taking of innocent lives that was being planned,” Herrington said.
“What I took away when I was reading it was a focus on the shooter, the general suffering that the shooter was experiencing, as one motivation, as well as a very keen focus on notoriety,” he added.
Authorities said Bryant sent more than $100 to Van Rootselaar to purchase shoes and a lighter, and discussed sending additional materials, although weapons were not ultimately sent.
Herrington also said Bryant agreed to livestream the shooting as part of an effort to maximize its publicity.
“There was an attempt to get it brought up on the live stream, and they got about 20 seconds of it, and then after that, it shut down,” Floyd told reporters.
Herrington added that Bryant had stayed awake after an overnight work shift to help ensure the livestream would work, and allegedly helped Van Rootselaar reach the school by providing instructions on how to start a vehicle used to drive there.
“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 said.
Rain said Canadian investigators got into contact with American authorities within days following the shooting and cooperated with them on the investigation, which is ongoing.
“Today’s arrest and charge announcement by the FBI reflects the months of investigative effort, cooperation, and coordination between our two agencies,” Rain said, adding that investigators in B.C. have so far assessed over 90 statements from witnesses and are still analyzing digital and physical evidence.
“Our RCMP criminal investigation remains ongoing, and the possibility of further charges being pursued in Canada remains under active consideration,” he said.
Bryant was arrested the morning of Oct. 6. If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of life in prison. Floyd said additional charges are possible as the case proceeds through the grand jury process.
None of the charges against Bryant have been tested in court.
English (US) · 
Turkish (TR) · 