A person in western Washington State was allegedly in contact with the Tumbler Ridge School shooter for six months before the deadly shooting occurred in February, U.S. law enforcement officials said on Tuesday.
James Cody Bryant, 30, “had been in repeated contact with the shooter, offering advice, sending money and even agreeing to livestream the horrific event,” said Neal Floyd, acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Washington.
“Bryant had the information and ability to alert law enforcement, and even discussed that possibility with the shooter, but he chose not to. Instead, he encouraged and offered assistance to a murderer.”
Floyd alleged Bryant helped the shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, start their car after they had already killed their mother and step-brother, so that Van Rootselaar could drive to Tumbler Ridge School and carry out the mass shooting.
“Today, Bryant is in custody charged with conspiracy to murder people in a foreign country,” Floyd said.
“That charge carries a penalty of up to life in prison.”
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On Feb. 10, 18-year-old Van Rootselaar opened fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, killing five students and an educational assistant before taking their own life. At a nearby residence, Van Rootselaar’s mother and half-brother were found dead.
Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle Field Office, said no investigation or charge from the criminal justice system can ever undo the fear and suffering from what happened in the small community of Tumbler Ridge in February.
“As alleged in the complaint, after the subject in this case met the shooter online, as their friendship developed over at least a six-month period, it began to focus on discussions of violence,” he said.
“I read a lot of court documents, including some that discuss incredibly heinous acts of violence, but this complaint was particularly difficult to read, in part because of the casual tone these two individuals used when discussing the mass taking of innocent lives that was being planned.”
He added that Bryant continued to enable Van Rootelsar in addition to providing money, technical advice and particular items to be used in the shooting.
“Bryant even stayed awake after an overnight work shift to make sure this horrific act could be widely viewed online,” Herrington said.
“Without Bryant’s misplaced loyalty and willingness to operate the live stream, we don’t ultimately know if the shooter would have gone through with the crime.”
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Source: globalnews.ca
