Senior officials with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said they will identify the suspect in the Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, mass shooting according to the gender identity the individual publicly used prior to the attack.

Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald told reporters that law enforcement would refer to 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar as the individual “chose to be identified in public and in social media.” He added that the suspect was born biologically male and began transitioning approximately six years ago, identifying socially and publicly as female.

The shooting left nine people dead, including the gunman, and roughly 25 others wounded, according to international reports. Victims included a female teacher, multiple students, the suspect’s mother, and a stepbrother. The suspect died by suicide at the scene.

RCMP Superintendent Ken Floyd referred to the attacker during a media briefing as a “deceased gunperson,” a phrase that circulated widely online and prompted debate over language used by officials.

McDonald also stated that police had visited the suspect’s home multiple times in recent years in response to mental health concerns, including incidents related to self-harm as recently as last spring.

The department’s decision to emphasize the suspect’s gender identity during public briefings drew sharp criticism from some commentators. An editorial in the New York Post accused officials and segments of the media of prioritizing language sensitivity over what it described as factual clarity during a moment of national mourning.

The case has also renewed broader debate across North America about how authorities and media organizations report on gender identity in high-profile violent crimes. Previous school shootings involving suspects who identified as transgender, including the 2023 attack at Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, have fueled similar disputes over terminology and public messaging.

Canadian authorities have said their focus remains on supporting victims’ families and continuing the investigation into the circumstances surrounding the attack.