A transgender individual from Washington state is accused of playing a role in a school massacre in Canada that resulted in several child fatalities. Instead of notifying authorities, this person allegedly chose to support the shooter, who also identified as transgender, according to federal officials.
James Cody Bryant, 30, was taken into custody on Tuesday morning in Bellingham, located north of Seattle. Authorities allege that Bryant sent money, provided advice, and even agreed to transmit the February 10 attack at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia.
“Bryant had the capability and knowledge to inform law enforcement, and he even discussed that option with the shooter but opted not to,” said Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd during a news conference in Seattle. “Instead, he aided and encouraged the actions of a murderer.”
Bryant faces a federal conspiracy charge for murder in a foreign country. Prosecutors claim he assisted the shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, in starting a vehicle to reach the school while the assault was ongoing.
“Even after the shooter had already tragically claimed the lives of two family members, Bryant helped him travel to a secondary location to inflict further harm,” mentioned FBI Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington.
According to Herrington, both Bryant and Van Rootselaar identified as transgender, with Bryant recognizing as female. The two reportedly met about three years prior to the shooting through a random encounter on the chat platform Omegle.
Investigators, however, have not determined the nature of their transgender identities, the reasons for their continued contact, or whether they ever met face-to-face, Herrington noted.
Their online interactions led to conversations about violence over a span of at least six months, which Herrington found particularly troubling. “The complaint was quite difficult to read, partly due to the casual tone these individuals adopted when discussing their plans for mass violence,” he commented.
Bryant allegedly agreed to document and livestream the incident to enhance the shooter’s infamy. “He even stayed awake after a night shift to ensure that this horrific event could be widely shared online,” Herrington stated.
Floyd mentioned that discussions between Bryant and the shooter included the possibility of sending weapons to Canada, but Bryant hesitated to act on this. There is no indication that the firearms used in the attack originated from the U.S.
As for a potential ideological motivation or group connection, Floyd indicated there was no evidence supporting such claims. Herrington highlighted that the shooter exhibited signs of distress and a focus on gaining notoriety, which they discussed alongside other mass shootings and the public’s reaction to them.
The investigation escalated shortly after the attack; Canadian authorities reached out to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security after receiving information from an online platform associated with the shooter. Floyd noted that investigators reviewed thousands of communications, primarily on Discord, before making the arrest.
Canadian authorities are currently examining over 90 statements from various witnesses and continue to investigate other online interactions. Floyd underscored the point that aiding a mass shooting from afar does not exempt someone from legal consequences, stating, “If you believe that you are shielded from prosecution because you didn’t pull the trigger or weren’t at the scene, think again.”
The tragic attack on February 10 resulted in eight deaths, including five students, a teacher, and the shooter’s mother and stepbrother. Van Rootselaar was later found dead at the school, having succumbed to a self-inflicted injury.
