Federal authorities on Tuesday arrested and charged James Cody Bryant, 30, of Bellingham, Washington, for allegedly encouraging and supporting an 18-year-old in committing one of Canada’s deadliest school shootings. Bryant is accused of providing money, advice, and assistance to Jesse Van Rootselaar, who killed eight people in February.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s office in Seattle, Bryant communicated with Van Rootselaar for at least six months prior to the attack. Authorities allege that Bryant, who identifies as female, did not report Van Rootselaar’s plans to authorities. W. Mike Herrington, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle office, stated that without Bryant's alleged support, officials are unsure if Van Rootselaar would have proceeded with the attack.
“We certainly know the shooter was concerned that not enough people would see the livestream without Bryant broadcasting it and was depending on Bryant to amplify the livestream because the shooter did not have many followers on social media,” Herrington said.
Allegations of Planning and Support
Bryant faces one count of conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, a charge described as “novel” by Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd. Bryant appeared in court Tuesday and is being held pending a preliminary hearing on October 20. The federal public defender’s office, representing Bryant, has not yet responded to a request for comment.
The criminal complaint alleges that Bryant communicated with Van Rootselaar over Discord, offering tactical advice on how to maximize the impact of the killings. Bryant also reportedly sent Van Rootselaar money to purchase a lighter for an explosive device and advised on methods to conceal the plot, such as deleting messages and using virtual private networks.
Bryant and Van Rootselaar allegedly met online about three years ago on Omegle, a now-defunct video chat site. While their communications were initially sporadic, they reportedly spoke daily in the six months leading up to the attack. Van Rootselaar had expressed intentions of harming her family and others due to feeling mistreated. Both individuals identified as trans, though authorities stated there is no indication this was the basis of their connection.
At times, Bryant reportedly urged Van Rootselaar to reconsider the plan. “I truly hope you reconsider today,” Bryant wrote in January, according to the complaint. “I wish there were any other path for you, you shouldn’t have to do something like this.” However, Bryant ultimately did not alert law enforcement and provided support for the attack.
The February Attack
Authorities state that Van Rootselaar first killed her mother and stepbrother at their home before attacking a nearby school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. The assault resulted in the deaths of five children aged 12 and 13, as well as an educational assistant. Twenty-five other individuals were injured. Van Rootselaar died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Investigators found that Van Rootselaar had initiated a 20-second video livestream from her vehicle showing a rifle and long gun before it was disconnected and viewed by only one other account. The livestream was intended to be amplified by Bryant.
Canadian Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree called the allegations devastating and emphasized the importance of holding those responsible accountable. It remains unclear whether Bryant could face charges in Canada, but Anandasangaree indicated that Canadian prosecution is possible if Canadian laws were found to be broken.
Bob Zimmer, the federal lawmaker for Tumbler Ridge, expressed deep concern over the allegations that Bryant coached the shooter and aimed to livestream the event. Tumbler Ridge, located in the Canadian Rockies, is a community with a secondary school serving approximately 175 students from Grades 7 to 12.