U.S. Man Charged with Conspiring in Canada's Deadliest School Shooting in Decades

Federal authorities in the United States have arrested and charged a 30-year-old Bellingham, Washington resident, James Cody Bryant, with conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country for allegedly assisting an 18-year-old Canadian in planning and carrying out a mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia on February 10, 2026.

According to charging documents and statements from officials at a joint press conference on October 6, 2026, Bryant communicated with shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar via Discord and other platforms for months, providing technical advice, sending small sums of money (around $115 total via PayPal for items like shoes and a lighter), and agreeing to livestream the attack on Twitch to maximize notoriety. The livestream reportedly lasted only about 20 seconds before being taken down. Bryant also allegedly advised on starting a car after Van Rootselaar killed her mother and 11-year-old stepbrother at home, enabling the drive to the school where five students and one staff member were killed before the shooter died by suicide.

The pair reportedly met years earlier on the now-defunct Omegle platform and had no in-person contact. Both were described as born male and identifying as female. Officials noted Bryant had opportunities to report the plot but did not, though some messages reportedly showed attempts to dissuade the attack. The charge carries a potential life sentence, with a preliminary hearing set for October 20.

The FBI, in coordination with the RCMP and Homeland Security Investigations, uncovered the communications after Discord provided data to Canadian authorities shortly after the attack. Court documents reveal extensive details not previously released by Canadian officials.

This case highlights the transnational nature of online radicalization and the challenges of preventing lone-actor attacks facilitated through digital platforms.