Washington state man charged with helping Canadian mass shooter plan for attack

A Washington state man allegedly "enabled" and "aided" a school shooter in Canada to carry out a mass shooting by agreeing to livestream the attack to "maximize" its exposure, discussing tactical plans and even sending the shooter money to purchase parts of an explosive device, according to federal prosectors in Seattle.Authorities said Jesse van Rootselaar killed two people at her British Columbia home on Feb. 10, 2026, and then five students between the ages of 12 and 13 and an educational assistant at Tumbler Ridge School, also using an improvised explosive device to damage the school.James Cody Bryant, 30 allegedly met Van Rootselaar years before the shooting online and encouraged her to carry out the attack, federal prosecutors alleged in a criminal complaint released on Tuesday. FILE - Police tape surrounds a school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, Feb. 12, 2026, two days after a mass shooting.Christinne Muschi/APThe alleged shooter had communicated with Bryant every day for the six months leading up to the shooting and on the day of the shooting, prosecutors said. On the day of the shooting, she allegedly told him she had killed two of her family members and was going to commit the shooting, and authorities said Bryant allegedly did nothing to stop it. On numerous occasions starting in August 2025 Bryant allegedly offered tactical advice to carry out the attack and suggested the best places to shoot. “Hallways also mean a lot of ways people can escape. Corners to turn. Wide open spaces means numbers," he allegedly told the killer in a message. Bryant also allegedly helped van Rootselaar carry out a test run of the livestream.Van Rootselaar encountered police in the school and died by suicide during the attack and the livestream failed, according to court records.The pair first met online when Van Rootselaar was “institutionalized” for the first time years prior to the shooting and then reconnected and fell out of touch after she was "institutionalized for a second time after setting her room on fire," according to court documents. A mother and son pay their respects at a memorial for the victims of a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026.Christinne Muschi/APBryant sat for an interview with agents from Homeland Security Investigations, according to the complaint, and he allegedly told investigators the two spoke every day in the lead-up to the shooting. "Bryant described Van Rootselaar as becoming significantly worse, including increasingly angry and suicidal," according to the court record. "Van Rootselaar often spoke about planning to use guns to murder her family members and others because she felt she had been mistreated."Van Rootselaar sent Bryant videos of her practicing shooting among other videos and images that were turned over to agents. He described her to agents as angry and violent, and alleged messages bore that out. She allegedly told Bryant "she had stolen guns and ammunition from her family’s gun safe and was hiding them in her room in preparation for a mass shooting. Van Rootselaar also said she convinced another person to purchase ammunition on her behalf."Attorney information for Bryant was not available.Van Rootselaar was "fixated" on mass shootings" and watched livestreamed recordings of them to learn from them, Bryant allegedly told HSI agents. Prosecutors said he assisted Van Rootselaar by reviewing the test cam footage and helping her allegedly select the location. Popular Reads"Bryant and Van Rootselaar spoke about selecting a target location for the mass shooting," according to court documents. "Van Rootselaar wanted to select a location that would lead to the largest number of victims. Van Rootselaar said a school would be an attractive target. According to Bryant, Bryant told Van Rootselaar it was a bad idea to attack a school because there would be too many young victims. Instead, Bryant suggested that Van Rootselaar attack a grocery store or a church."She ultimately chose the school, according to prosecutors. The pair allegedly talked about the best way to livestream the attack, whether there should be audio and whether she should bring a Starlink for the best camera quality, according to text messages in the complaint."Pls tho I rlly do beg that u at least give a sincere try at being there for my final moments n manage to share them. I bought the whole camer holder thing n everything. I don’t wanna be let down," Van Rootselaar allegedly said to Bryant."I will. I'll be there," he replied, according to the complaint.A welcome sign is seen entering the town of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2026.Christinne Muschi/APHe also allegedly sent her money to purchase items for the attack, including new shoes and a lighter used for the explosive device she attempted to set off."I want the cute shoes for when I do my violence," she allegedly said to Bryant after prosecutors say he sent her money.The pair also talked about not reporting her to law enforcement according to prosecutors."You believe me when I promise I won’t snitch on you, right," Bryant said in an August message to Van Rootselaar, according to the complaint "I don’t want to honestly. I know I can like, save lives I guess but idk," he continued.A day later, he said he could be the only one that could stop her, but didn't according to prosecutors. The day before the shooting, he allegedly helped her to test her livestream equipment, and on the day of the shooting, she allegedly sent photos of her with her firearms dressed for the attack.I’m going now. Fr. Live. I shot them. F---," she allegedly said to him. Moments later, he walked her through starting the vehicle she planned to use to carry out the attack, according to the complaint. "Van Rootselaar successfully started the car. A neighbor observed Van Rootselaar crash the car into a snowbank and then regain control. Van Rootselaar proceeded to drive to the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School where she committed the murders," according to the complaint. At a press conference on Tuesday, officials called Bryant's actions "misplaced loyalty." "I read a lot of court documents, including some that discuss incredibly heinous acts of violence," Mike Herrington, the FBI' Seattle's Special Agent in Charge said at a press conference on Tuesday. "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 as it was being planned."