Reddit posts linked to Jesse Strang surfaced online within hours of the Canadian school shooting, fuelling speculation as authorities worked to confirm the suspect's identity. The name Jesse Strang quickly spread across social media after certain Canadian outlets reported that the alleged attacker had been identified by relatives.
Police have urged the public to rely only on official updates, warning that unverified online material can distort the investigation.
Screenshots of posts said to belong to the suspect circulated widely, with users dissecting old comments about mental health, drugs, and gender identity while investigators continued their work.
The shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School left 10 people dead, including the suspect, and sent shockwaves through the small British Columbia town. Emergency crews from neighbouring areas were called in, while schools across the region were locked down as officers secured the site and began gathering forensic and digital evidence.
The allegedgunmanwas identified by some Canadian media outlets as 18-year-old Jesse Strang. The suspect's uncle, Russell G. Strang, said Jesse Strang was responsible for the attack. The reports stated that 10 people were killed, including the suspect.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police later said the individual went by the name Jesse Van Rootselaar. However, officers have not released full identifying details and continue to stress that the investigation is ongoing.
Some media reports also pointed to a YouTube account believed to be connected to the suspect. The account allegedly displayed a transgender flag and used 'she/her' pronouns, though these claims have circulated mainly on social media and have not been independently confirmed by police.
Shortly after the name surfaced, screenshots of a Reddit account allegedly tied to the suspect began spreading online. As perWIONews, the posts, attributed to the username 'jesseboy347', included comments about mental health struggles, drug use, and gender transition.
In one post dated 26 February, 2023, the user wrote: 'I'm 15-year-old and I have an extreme phobia of needles. Bloodwork is dreadful lol... I was wondering, what kinda stuff can I expect?' The message appeared to ask about starting a male-to-female transition.
Another post described a recent stay in a psychiatric ward and listed several diagnoses. It read: 'It's 4 am, got out of the psyche ward like a month ago and now I'm here... Diagnosed with ADHD, MDD, ASD, and OCD.'
Source: International Business Times UK
