Brief
US resident charged with aiding Canadian school shooter, DOJ says
James Cody Bryant, 30, was arrested in Bellingham and charged with conspiracy to murder abroad after allegedly assisting the February 10 attack in British Columbia.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Federal officials announced Tuesday that James Cody Bryant, a 30‑year‑old transgender resident of Washington state, was arrested in Bellingham and charged with conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country for his alleged role in the February 10 mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia.
What happened
The Tumbler Ridge attack left eight children dead, according to Canadian authorities. Prosecutors allege Bryant helped the 18‑year‑old shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, by sending money, offering advice and agreeing to broadcast the assault. FBI Seattle Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington said Bryant also helped start a car that took the shooter to a second location after the initial killings.
What the reports add
Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd told reporters that Bryant had the information and ability to alert law enforcement but chose not to, instead encouraging the murderer. Herrington added that Bryant admitted he might have been the only person who could have stopped the shooter. The two met on the online chat service Omegle about three years before the attack and maintained a six‑month online friendship that included discussions of violence.
What was said
"Bryant had the information and ability to alert law enforcement, and even discussed that possibility with the shooter, but he chose not to," Floyd said at a Seattle news conference. "Instead, he encouraged and offered assistance to a murderer," he added. Herrington said, "Bryant even stayed awake after an overnight work shift to make sure this horrific act could be widely viewed online."
How it came about
The investigation traced the online connection between Bryant and Van Rootselaar to Omegle, where they first interacted. Over at least six months, their chats shifted from casual conversation to planning violent acts. Federal authorities filed a complaint that described the tone of the messages as "particularly difficult to read" because of the casual way the two discussed mass killing. No indication has been given about why the pair identified as transgender or whether they ever met in person.
Key facts
- James Cody Bryant was arrested in Bellingham, Washington. (foxnews.com)
- Bryant faces a federal charge of conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country. (foxnews.com)
- The Tumbler Ridge Secondary School shooting on Feb. 10 killed eight children. (foxnews.com)
- Bryant allegedly sent money, gave advice and agreed to livestream the attack. (foxnews.com)
- Bryant and shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar met on Omegle about three years before the attack. (foxnews.com)
Sources
- [1] foxnews.com — originally reported as “Transgender Washington state resident accused of fueling deadly Canadian school massacre that killed 8: DOJ”
