Transgender Connection: How a Chilling Alliance Led to Canada's Deadliest School Shooting
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A transgender Washington state resident was arrested Tuesday for allegedly offering support to a depraved Canadian school shooter who gunned down eight people earlier this year, officials said.
James Cody Bryant, 30, was busted by the feds and accused of helping Tumble Ridge Secondary School shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, plan the brutal Feb. 10 attack – one of the deadliest shootings in Canada’s history.
Officials said Bryant had spoken to Van Rootselaar – who killed his mother and stepbrother himself – at least six months before the attack.
In discussions between the two – who both identify as transgender – Bryant offered sickening tactical advice on how best to carry out the killing, feds alleged.
“Hallways also mean a lot of ways people can escape. Corners to turn. Wide open spaces means numbers,” Bryant wrote to Van Rootselaar, according to a complaint.
Bryant allegedly also sent the killer money for a lighter to be used to ignite explosives, gave Van Rootselaar advice on how to delete online messages to keep the plot a secret and even offered to livestream the killing, officials said.
“We certainly know the shooter was concerned that not enough people would see the livestream without Bryant broadcasting it,” special agent in charge of the FBI’s Seattle office W. Mike Herrington said.
“[Van Rootselaar] was depending on Bryant to amplify the livestream because the shooter did not have many followers on social media,” he continued.
The complaint against Bryant said that there were times where he tried to change Van Rootselaar’s mind from carrying out the killings.
“I wish there were any other path for you, you shouldn’t have to do something like this,” Bryant wrote, according to the document.
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But ultimately, Bryant continued to give Van Rootselaar the support, and promised to not “snitch.”
“I could [tell authorities]. I don’t want to honestly. I know I can like, save lives I guess but [I don’t know],” Bryant wrote to Van Rootselaar, according to the complaint.
Feds charged Bryant with one count of conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, according to Acting US Attorney Neil Floyd.
With Post wires
