A former Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) weapons officer has confirmed that the firearms displayed in a Facebook photo posted by Jennifer Jacobs, the mother of the Tumbler Ridge shooter, were largely legal to own in Canada as of the time the photo was taken in August 2024. The photo includes several rifles, shotguns, and a handgun, with a notable presence of a semi-automatic rifle that would later be prohibited.
Jennifer Jacobs, along with her 11-year-old son, was tragically killed in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, on February 10, 2026. She was shot by her daughter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, who was 18 years old at the time, before taking her own life. The incident resulted in the deaths of a total of eight individuals, including five students and a teacher’s aide at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
Frank Grosspietsch, a retired RCMP officer associated with the National Weapons Enforcement Support Team, analyzed the firearms in Jacobs’s photo. He identified five rifles, including three that appeared to be semi-automatic, as well as two shotguns and a handgun. Grosspietsch mentioned that while he couldn't identify exact markings, he assessed the firearms based on their construction and features. He stated, “I can’t see any of the markings that are on the firearms but I’m looking at the undersides, the barrel configurations, the stocks and unique markers that stand out to me.” He confirmed that all the firearms in the cabinet were classified as non-restricted at that time.
The RCMP provided a statement regarding the ongoing investigation into the firearms associated with the incident. It declined to disclose which weapons had been seized, emphasizing that details were subject to the ongoing inquiry. The connection of these firearms to the tragic killings remains unclear, particularly whether Van Rootselaar utilized any of the weapons showcased in Jacobs's photo, or if they were included among firearms previously seized from the family home.
In a subsequent police investigation, two firearms were confiscated last week, including an unregistered shotgun determined to be used in the shootings, along with several other firearms. Additionally, a long gun and a modified rifle were found at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where the majority of the fatalities occurred.
Grosspietsch provided detailed descriptions of the firearms displayed in the photograph. He noted that the leftmost gun is a bolt-action Lee-Enfield, a historical First World War-era weapon commonly found in Canada. Next to it is a pump-action shotgun likely missing its barrel, potentially visible in the right side of the cabinet. Following that, Grosspietsch identified a Winchester pump-action shotgun and a bolt-action Tikka rifle.
He highlighted that the central firearm in the cabinet is a Kriss Vector semi-automatic 9-mm rifle, which was non-restricted at the time the photo was taken but became illegal to own in December 2024 after government regulations were adjusted to counteract crime. Other semi-automatic rifles mentioned in the cabinet include an SKS and a Ruger carbine. Additionally, Grosspietsch observed a high-capacity magazine for a .22 rifle, which is not restricted in terms of capacity because it is classified as rim fire.
Following Canadian firearm laws, non-restricted firearms do not require registration, except in Quebec, but must be transferred only to individuals with a valid Possession and Acquisition Licence (PAL). RCMP records indicate that Jennifer Jacobs held a valid PAL, although there were no registered firearms linked to her name.
B.C. RCMP Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald reported that the shotgun used in the family home had never been seized by police. The principal gun utilized in the school shootings also had an unknown origin and was never among the confiscated firearms. Van Rootselaar reportedly held a gun license that expired in 2024 but had no registered firearms under her name.
Inquiry into firearms previously seized from the Jacobs family home revealed no formal applications for their return, as documented by the B.C. Provincial Court’s Chief Judge Melissa Gillespie. She confirmed there were no adult records related to Jesse Van Rootselaar concerning the seized firearms as per the Criminal Code.
