The half-brother of the shooter who killed six people at a high school in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., has himself been arrested after being charged with attempted murder in a separate case, the RCMP say.
The man, Jacob Van Rootselaar, 22, was arrested Friday in Sylvan Lake, Alta., on a Canada-wide warrant after failing to appear in court on charges stemming from an alleged 2024 incident with an edged weapon in Fort McMurray, Alta., police said.
According to court documents, Mr. Van Rootselaar was charged in October, 2024, with breaking and entering and attempted murder. Police say he attacked an acquaintance with a knife sharpener and a glass bottle. He was later released with conditions.
In June, 2025, his release conditions were amended. They included the completion of an 87-day addiction treatment program, court records show. Mr. Van Rootselaar was then ordered to reside in Tumbler Ridge under the supervision of Justin Van Rootselaar.
Justin is Jacob’s father, a person familiar with the family told The Globe and Mail. The Globe is not identifying the person because they fear retaliation for speaking about the family.
Justin is also the father of Jesse Van Rootselaar, whom police have identified as the Tumbler Ridge shooter, the person said.
The court documents show Jacob was ordered not to possess any weapons or firearms, and to stay away from a specific address in Fort McMurray.
After his arrest on Feb. 19 in Sylvan Lake, Jacob now faces additional charges: five counts of failing to comply with his release conditions, as well as charges for unauthorized possession of a prohibited or restricted weapon and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose. Police said he was found last Friday in possession of brass knuckles.
His next court appearance is in Red Deer, Alta., in March.
Jesse, 18, shot and killed her mother and a younger half-brother at the home they shared before heading to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. There, she killed five students and a teacher’s aide.
The shooter, who had a history of mental-health problems, then killed herself at the school as police responded to the scene.
It is one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canadian history.
With a report from Jana Pruden