Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney joined mourners on Friday in Tumbler Ridge after a tragic school shooting killed six children and an assistant teacher. Carney invited leaders from all political parties to unite in the remote mining town, the site of Canada’s deadliest school shooting in recent years. Among the victims was 12-year-old Kylie Smith, remembered by her family as “the light in our family” and a talented artist with dreams of attending art school in Toronto. Kylie’s father, Lance Younge, shared how he spent six hours at the local recreation center searching for news about his daughter. He told CTV News, “I went home not knowing where my daughter was until a high school kid … came here and told us her story about trying to save my daughter’s life.” Other victims included 12-year-old Zoey Benoit, described by her family as “resilient, vibrant, smart, caring and the strongest little girl you could meet,” 13-year-old Ezekiel Schofield, and 12-year-old Abel Mwansa Jr. Abel’s father wrote on Facebook that he was “broken” seeing his son lifeless, remembering the bright future he saw in him. Twelve-year-old Ticaria Lampert was praised by her mother as someone who “just wanted to bring sunshine to everything and everyone.” The deceased assistant teacher was identified as 39-year-old Shannda Aviugana-Durand. The suspected shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, was found at the school with a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Nearby, the suspect’s mother, Jennifer Jacobs, and 11-year-old stepbrother were found dead. Police said they had visited the family home several times over concerns about the suspect’s mental health and weapons. Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald said the suspect had been subjected to mental health assessments and firearms had been seized previously but later returned. The community of Tumbler Ridge, located more than 1,000 km northeast of Vancouver, faces significant challenges due to a lack of mental health services. Trent Ernst, publisher of the local newspaper, said, “There are times where we’ll go months, if not years, without having anybody in mental health services in town.” Despite frigid cold, many gathered on Wednesday night to mourn, with Mayor Darryl Krakowka telling the crowd, “It’s OK to cry.” He called the town “one big family” and urged ongoing support for the victims’ families, saying they must be supported “forever.”