Heroic Student Critically Wounded in British Columbia School Shooting
A 12-year-old girl was shot in the head while attempting to protect her classmates during a devastating shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, Canada, this week, according to family members. The student, Maya Gebala, is among more than 25 individuals wounded in Tuesday’s attack and was airlifted to BC Children’s Hospital for emergency treatment.
Critical Condition and Surgical Efforts
Maya Gebala remains in extreme critical condition following surgery to address a brain bleed, her aunt, Krysta Hunt, disclosed to Global News Canada on Wednesday. The young victim sustained gunshot wounds to her head above the left eye and her neck. Medical professionals are currently focusing on the head injury, leaving the bullet in her neck for now as its trajectory remains uncertain.
Details of the Shooting Incident
Police have identified 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar as the suspected shooter who killed five students and one teacher at the school. Prior to the school attack, Van Rootselaar allegedly killed her 39-year-old mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at a nearby residence. She was later found deceased at the scene from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Authorities recovered a long gun and a modified handgun at the scene, neither registered to Van Rootselaar, whose firearm license expired in 2024. While a motive has not been officially released, police records indicate multiple calls to Van Rootselaar’s family home over recent years.
Act of Bravery Described
According to Hunt, Maya Gebala demonstrated remarkable courage during the attack. "She tried to lock the door of the library from the shooter to save the other kids and then she tried to lock it and then ran and hid under a table," where she was ultimately shot. A friend witnessed Maya’s finger move and carried her from the school to seek assistance before her airlift evacuation.
Community Support and Updates
Maya’s mother expressed the family’s emotional turmoil on a GoFundMe page, noting that "what started as a normal day has now tapered into hours and minutes" and emphasizing their unwavering hope despite grim medical assessments. Canadian hockey icon Hayley Wickenheiser has rallied support for Maya, describing her as a "little hockey player from Tumbler Ridge."
In a positive development, Gebala’s mother provided an update on Thursday, reporting that her daughter had "moved!!" in the hospital and urging continued positive energy from supporters.
