Tumbler Ridge shooter’s family led ‘almost nomadic life’ during childhood: judge

The perpetrator of this week’s mass shooting at the high school in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., led “an almost nomadic life” as a young child, according to a 2015 B.C. Supreme Court decision in a family law case.

The shooter, who police have identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, would have been eight or nine years old at the time Justice Anthony Saunders handed down his decision in Fort St. John, B.C.

The document does not mention Van Rootselaar by name, but stems from a custody battle involving her mother Jennifer Jacobs—also known and referred to throughout the decision as Jennifer Strang—and father Justin Van Rootselaar.

Strang was one of two people found dead at their family home in Tumbler Ridge Tuesday after the shooting at the school. The other was Strang’s 11-year-old son Emmett. Police believe Jesse killed her relatives before making her way to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where she killed five students and a teacher before shooting herself.

According to the 2015 court decision, Justin Van Rootselaar had filed a notice of family claim seeking a declaration of joint guardianship over his children.

“Ms. Strang had notice that Mr. Van Rootselaar was taking legal steps to establish a relationship with the children, to advance that relationship and put it on a proper legal footing,” the decision reads.

In August 2015, Strang moved her family to Newfoundland, against Justin’s wishes. Under B.C.’s Family Law Act, a child’s guardian must give at least 60 days of notice to a non-custodial parent before moving the child.

The only exceptions are for cases where notice “cannot be given” or there is no ongoing relationship with the child, according to the decision.

Strang did not provide 60 days’ notice before relocating to Newfoundland, and Saunders determined neither exception applied in the case.

“Ms. Strang is pregnant and expecting another child at the end of January,” the decision reads. “She says that she made the move to Newfoundland so that she could receive support from her family. As understandable as her motive may be, again, the court cannot countenance this kind of unilateral action.”

The judge ordered Strang to return the children to British Columbia, concluding that even if Justin Van Rootselaar had not been attempting to establish an ongoing relationship with his children, the exception in the Family Law Act ought not to apply because of how often Strang had moved around.

In her submissions to the court, she admitted that there had been “at least months at a time” when Justin had “no idea” where his children were, according to the decision.

“These children have led an almost nomadic life, from what I have been told, with multiple moves over the last five years between Newfoundland, Grand Cache and Powell River, British Columbia,” the decision reads. “So it can hardly be the case that the children are tied in any meaningful sense to that one location.”

Saunders also concluded that Strang had made a “material misrepresentation” to a court in Newfoundland and Labrador regarding how much money Justin was earning at his job in Tumbler Ridge.

The judge awarded special costs against Strang, describing her unilateral move across the country “in contempt of Mr. Van Rootselaar’s rights” as “reprehensible conduct.”

The information in the court decision provides some additional context on the childhood of the perpetrator of one of Canada’s worst mass shootings.

Police had already said Jesse Van Rootselaar—who also went by Jesse Strang—was “apprehended for assessment” under the Mental Health Act last year.

Jesse once possessed a firearms licence, but it had expired, and she did not have any firearms registered to her, according to police.

Investigators recovered a long gun and a modified handgun at the scene. It remains under investigation whether the firearms were obtained legally and by whom.

On Wednesday, police confirmed that they had attended the home where Strang was killed some years back and seized firearms “under the Criminal Code.”

At a later date, “the lawful owner of those firearms petitioned for those firearms to returned, and they were.”

Police said Jesse was “born as a biological male” and “identified as female, both socially and publicly.” She began her transition about six years ago, according to police.

She was found dead inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary School from a self-inflicted gunshot wound, according to police.