Troubling revelations from online posts connected to the suspect in the Tumbler Ridge shooting are shedding light on a person struggling with mental health issues and a disturbing fascination with violence.
Roblox, a popular game aimed at children, took a dark turn when Jesse Van Rootselaar allegedly created a virtual shopping mall filled with guns, encouraging users to engage in simulated shooting sprees. The game developers have since removed this content and deleted Van Rootselaar’s account to prevent further access.
The suspect’s online presence includes posts describing psychotic episodes, childhood traumas, and an unsettling interest in mass shooters. Investigators are facing challenges piecing together a complete profile as Van Rootselaar seems to have deleted much of her online history prior to the tragic school shooting in B.C.
Mentions of mental illness in her posts, such as a claim about burning down her house after using psychedelics and subsequent discharge from a psychiatric ward, raise concerns about her state of mind. Disturbing comments attributed to her on a gore and death-themed website paint a troubling picture, including witnessing a suicide attempt as a child and finding violent content addictive.
BC RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald emphasized the importance of exploring all online leads in such cases, as online presence often provides crucial insights into suspects’ behaviors and connections with like-minded individuals.