Washington man charged in alleged plot tied to Canada school shooting

In short: U.S. authorities arrested a Washington state man and charged him with conspiring to help carry out a deadly school shooting in British Columbia.

What happened

U.S. authorities say James Cody Bryant, 30, of Bellingham, Washington, was arrested and charged on October 6, 2026. The charge is conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country, meaning prosecutors say he agreed with someone to help kill people outside the United States.

The case is tied to the February 10 shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. Authorities say the shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, killed two family members at a home and then six people at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Van Rootselaar also died, bringing the total deaths to nine, and 25 people were reported wounded.

Prosecutors and the FBI allege Bryant communicated online with Van Rootselaar for about six months before the attack. They say he gave advice and money, discussed ways to hide their messages (like trying to keep a conversation out of sight), and agreed to help livestream or share the attack. Authorities also allege that after the violence began, he advised her on how to get a car started so she could keep traveling toward the school.

Bryant has not been proven guilty. The charge is an allegation, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Why it matters

The case highlights how online contact can be treated as real-world help when prosecutors believe it supported violence. It also shows how U.S. courts can bring charges even when the deaths happened in another country.

Source: NYTimes