Stories
US Arrests James Cody Bryant for Funding and Advising Canada School Shooter
- •US authorities arrested 30-year-old James Cody Bryant in Washington in connection with the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School shooting in British Columbia, Canada.
- •The Department of Justice alleged that Bryant provided advice, money, and technical assistance to the shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, over several months.
- •Investigators found that Bryant and Van Rootselaar communicated via Discord, discussing attack plans, livestreaming, weapons, and how to increase casualties.
- •Bryant faces a federal charge of conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country and could face up to life in prison if convicted.
- •A preliminary hearing for Bryant has been scheduled for October 20 following a joint investigation by the FBI, Homeland Security, and the RCMP.
Key Questions Answered
James Cody Bryant is a 30-year-old resident of Bellingham, Washington, who was arrested by US authorities on October 6 in connection with the Tumbler Ridge school shooting. He has been charged with one count of conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country for allegedly providing advice, money, and technical assistance to the shooter.
Bryant and the shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, initially met three years prior to the attack through the now-shuttered random video-chat website Omegle. They stayed in contact and eventually shifted their communications to Discord, interacting frequently as online friends leading up to the incident.
According to the US Department of Justice, Bryant provided tactical advice to maximize victims, sent over $100 to purchase attack items, advised on concealing the plot using VPNs and deleting messages, and helped test livestreaming equipment. Bryant also allegedly helped Van Rootselaar start her vehicle on the day of the attack when it initially would not start.
