Canadian Olympic Team Reacts To Deadly School Shooting: 'We Are Heartbroken'

As Team Canada executives, coaches, and players prepared for their final pre-tournament practice at the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026 on Wednesday, their thoughts were with the community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.

On Tuesday, a shooter killed at least eight people and wounded dozens at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Authorities later confirmed 10 total deaths. Seven people were killed at the school, while two were found dead at a nearby home. A woman whom police believe to be the shooter was also killed.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said more than 25 people were injured, including two hospitalized with life-threatening injuries.

Team Canada released a statement addressing the tragedy:

“We are heartbroken by the news of the horrific school shooting that occurred in British Columbia. Our thoughts are with the families who have lost loved ones, those who are injured, and the entire Tumbler Ridge community. Team Canada stands with everyone affected as they navigate difficult days ahead.”

You can view the statement below:

Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, located in the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, has 175 students in Grades 7 to 12, according to the provincial government’s website.

Police said five students between the ages of 12 and 13 were killed, along with a 39-year-old teacher. Authorities also confirmed that an 11-year-old stepbrother of the suspect was among the victims. A 12-year-old girl remains hospitalized in critical condition.

The town is more than 1,000 kilometers north of Vancouver, near the Alberta border.

Canada general manager Doug Armstrong opened his press conference yesterday by extending the team’s support to the community.

Armstrong acknowledged the weight of the moment:

“It affects everybody. This is sport. We understand there is real life and that trumps anything we are doing here. But all we can do is send our love, send our support, and then go out and do our jobs."

Head coach Jon Cooper, a native of Prince George, British Columbia—about a four-and-a-half-hour drive from Tumbler Ridge—said the events felt especially close to home.

He reflected on the tragedy’s proximity to home:

“Obviously, I haven't been back in a long time, but you think about tragedies that happen, usually they kind of happen somewhere else, so you never really feel the effect of it touching close to home. But this one is close to home, and my heart goes out to all the families."

Because the shooting occurred Tuesday afternoon in British Columbia—nine hours behind Milan—many players and staff did not learn of it until Wednesday morning.

Team captain Sidney Crosby shared his condolences:

"My thoughts and prayers are with everyone you know that's affected. Obviously, you don't expect to see that. It was tough to see."

This year marks Canada’s 25th appearance at the Winter Olympics, having competed in every edition since the inaugural Games in 1924.

The NHL echoed the sentiments in a social media post on Wednesday:

On the ice, Canada’s medal count at the Milano-Cortina Games stands at four. The team opened the men’s curling tournament with a 7-6 win over Germany on Wednesday. Still, the focus remained on events unfolding back home.

Across social media, fans thanked Team Canada for acknowledging the tragedy and expressed support for the Tumbler Ridge community, with many saying the statement reflected the nation’s grief.

You can view the reactions below:

School shootings are rare in Canada, which has strict gun-control laws. The federal government has responded to previous mass shootings with tighter firearm restrictions, including a broadened ban on guns it classifies as assault weapons. The attack is the country’s deadliest since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead.

Video circulating online showed students walking out with their hands raised as police vehicles surrounded the building and a helicopter circled overhead.

Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka described the loss as devastating in a community he called a “big family.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke about the national grief:

" Parents, grandparents, sisters, brothers in Tumbler Ridge will wake up without someone they love. The nation mourns with you, and Canada stands by you."

Carney’s office said he canceled a planned trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia, and Munich, Germany, where he had been scheduled to announce a defense industrial strategy before attending the Munich Security Conference.

British Columbia Premier David Eby said Tuesday that he had spoken with the prime minister about what he called the “unimaginable tragedy.”

The school district announced that both the high school and elementary school in Tumbler Ridge will remain closed for the rest of the week as the community begins to mourn.