Lawsuits depict Tumbler Ridge, B.C., shootings and victims in fresh detail

SAN FRANCISCO — Tech firm OpenAI and founder Sam Altman face seven wrongful death lawsuits over their alleged roles in the mass shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., earlier this year.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuits, filed in California, include the parents of child victims, the husband of a slain education aide, and 12-year-old Maya Gebala, who was shot in the head and suffered catastrophic injuries.

Here are some of the details depicted in the lawsuits about the victims and the shootings on Feb. 10, in which eight people were shot dead by Jesse Van Rootselaar, before she killed herself. The minor victims are identified by initials in the lawsuits but have been named by the RCMP.

SHANNDA AVIUGANA-DURAND

The lawsuit by Mark Stacey, who was married to education assistant Shannda Aviugana-Durand, says she was shot dead in front of her students in the library of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.

They included Durand’s own daughter, who “saw her mother killed in front of her,” the lawsuit says.

It says Durand was shot “in the process of trying to stop the shooter from harming others. She loved her students and they loved her.”

MAYA GEBALA

Maya survived the attack but was shot three times before a classmate dragged her under a table, her lawsuit says.

“She is awake and aware, and she recognizes her mother’s voice and face, but she cannot move her body and she cannot speak,” it says.

“If M.G. survives, she will tragically live the rest of her life like this, with catastrophic brain injuries and permanent disabilities.”

It says the bullet that struck Maya’s skull “shattered bone fragments through her brain” and she has undergone multiple surgeries.

KYLIE SMITH

Plaintiffs Lance Younge and Jennifer Geary were the legal guardians of Kylie Smith, 12, who was among the students shot dead at the school.

The lawsuit says Kylie’s 15-year-old brother, identified as E.S., phoned Younge and Geary from a utility closet as the shooting unfolded.

“In a shaky voice, E.S. told Lance and Jenny what was happening. He said there was a shooter in the school, that he loved them, and that they should not come to the school. He said he did not know where K.S. was.”

It says a teacher and students “desperately tried to save (Kylie’s) life for approximately forty-five minutes. Despite their efforts, K.S. died of bullet wounds to her head, jaw, and abdomen.”

EZEKIEL SCHOFIELD

A lawsuit by Timm and Rebekah Schofield says their 13-year-old son, Ezekiel Schofield, was shot dead outside the school library.

It says he was “an avid hockey player who aspired to become a software developer and artist.”

“The Schofields will never see E.S. reach 14, finish building the video game he was working on, or reach any of the milestones they had been waiting for,” the lawsuit says. “His family, friends, teammates, and fellow community members have lost someone with a larger-than-life smile and a loud-and-proud laugh.”

ZOEY BENOIT

Lori Hayer, the mother of Zoey Benoit, 12, says in her lawsuit that Zoey was found shot to death inside the door of the library.

“The bullets severely damaged her small body. The next day, her family was brought to see her in a closed body bag. They told her they loved her and said goodbye,” the lawsuit says.

It says she was a “strong-willed free thinker.”

“Z.B. was beautiful and smart, loved to sing, and dreamed of being an artist in Vancouver. In the weeks before Feb. 10, 2026, she devoted herself to painting a single canvas full of butterflies, foxes, cows, and flowers.”

TICARIA LAMPERT

Sarah Lampert, the mother of 12-year-old Ticaria Lampert, says in her lawsuit that she “raced to the school the moment she heard about the shooting and begged to be let inside.”

The lawsuit says that night Lampert was told that her daughter was dead, and “she pleaded with the police to let her sleep beside her daughter’s body.”

“The next day, she asked again to see T.L. The police initially refused but eventually relented.”

The lawsuit says Ticaria’s body “was so badly damaged by bullets that she could only be identified by her clothing.”

ABEL MWANSA

The parents of Abel Mwansa Jr., 12, say in their lawsuit that he was shot in the hand, leg, and chest, and “lay bleeding from an exit wound in his back for approximately forty-five minutes before he died.”

“Another student stayed with A.M. and comforted him as he described the pain. A.M.’s last words were: ‘Tell my parents that I love them so much,'” the lawsuit says.

Abel’s father, Abel Mwansa Sr., and mother, Bwalya Chisanga, “viewed A.M. as both a son and a friend,” the lawsuit says.

“He shovelled other neighbours’ driveways, made his sister breakfast, and brought home groceries for his family. He won medals for his soccer-playing, loved science, and loved to play guitar and sing.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 29, 2026.

The Canadian Press