Bellingham Man Indicted for Conspiracy in Canadian School Shooting
A Bellingham, Washington resident faces federal charges for allegedly coordinating a deadly school shooting across the international border. James Cody Bryant, 30, was indicted by a grand jury in the Western District of Washington for conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country, justice.gov reported.
The indictment connects Bryant to the February 10, 2026, attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, Canada. In that attack, Jesse Van Rootselaar shot and killed two relatives before driving to the school, where five children aged 12 and 13 and an educational assistant died.
Months of Digital Planning Leading Up to the Tumbler Ridge Attack
Investigators recovered thousands of communications spanning the six months leading up to the massacre. Court records show Bryant communicated frequently with Van Rootselaar via Discord.
The indictment outlines specific actions Bryant took to advance the conspiracy. As early as August 2025, Bryant agreed to record the shooting and broadcast it over the internet, testing the livestream quality to confirm it looked solid. Bryant also offered tactical advice on attack locations and weaponry.
By January 2026, testing continued. Bryant confirmed to Van Rootselaar that the livestream setup worked. Later that month, Bryant sent money via PayPal to purchase a lighter for use in an improvised explosive device. On the day of the murders, Bryant checked that the livestream was visible and later noted when it went down.
Communications show both participants understood the illegality of their planning. They discussed ways to conceal their conversations and the source of the livestream.
The Cascade of Violence in British Columbia
The shooting unfolded across multiple locations on February 10, 2026. After killing two relatives, Van Rootselaar drove to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
The assailant detonated an improvised explosive device to damage the facility and tried to breach locked classroom doors by firing through them. The incident ended when Van Rootselaar exchanged gunfire with police and committed suicide. According to records filed in the case, Van Rootselaar was born male, had been transitioning, and identified as female on official government identification and law enforcement reports.
Bryant Faces Life in Prison for Conspiracy Charge
The FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police investigated the case. Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg is prosecuting the matter with assistance from the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
Conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country carries a maximum penalty of life in prison. The charges remain allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
Bryant is scheduled for arraignment on October 22, 2026.