Expert Analysis Reveals Shooter’s Online Interests in Violence

A closer look into the online life of Jesse Van Rootselaar, the 18-year-old behind the deadly shooting at a Canadian high school last week, reveals disturbing insights. The expert analysis conducted by the Institute for Strategic Dialogue (ISD) has provided unprecedented details about her digital footprint, offering critical context to understanding this tragedy.

Van Rootselaar spent significant time in online forums and subreddits dedicated to violent content, including dark corners of the internet where graphic violence is often discussed. Notably, she was active on WatchPeopleDie, a platform known for hosting material depicting graphic violence against both humans and animals. This site has been linked with other school shooters, highlighting its potential as a breeding ground for extreme behaviors.

An ISD analyst who examined Van Rootselaar’s online presence noted her history of posting about substance use, mental health struggles, and discussions around firearms. The analyst also found that she visited the WatchPeopleDie page associated with Natalie Rupnow, another young shooter from 2024 Wisconsin, who committed a similar massacre. This connection underscores how these dark corners can serve as echo chambers for violent ideation.

The ISD analysts deduced Van Rootselaar’s online activities through social media profile elements and content analysis. Beginning in 2019 when she was around 12 years old, Van Rootselaar’s posts initially focused on video games but later included discussions of owning a gun. She also began sharing posts about drug use and mental health issues by the time she was 14. There were brief periods where her activity seemed to have lapsed in 2023 before resurfacing again near the end of last year when she created an account on WatchPeopleDie, revealing her involvement with gore content.

Additional evidence surfaced recently through a mass shooting simulation game found on Roblox, which was linked back to Van Rootselaar. The game had only seven visits but exemplifies how grim content can infiltrate mainstream platforms over time.

In this digital landscape, the worst influence remains just as potent for teenagers today: it’s no longer simply their peers at school; now it could be anyone online. Zoschak from ISD emphasized this point during his interview with CBS News, noting that Van Rootselaar was often seeking validation and support within these dark echo chambers rather than turning to traditional sources of help.

A disturbing revelation emerged after the shooting—police had been called multiple times over the last few years to Van Rootselaar’s residence for mental health emergencies. Her family home is where her 11-year-old brother, along with both his mother and himself, were found dead at a house separate from Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.

Van Rootselaar’s involvement in violent online communities has led authorities to believe she could have been a trigger point or influence leading up to the tragic shooting. Her mental health struggles compounded by her online exposure to disturbing content likely contributed significantly to her decision and actions, illustrating how digital environments can mirror and intensify real-world challenges.

The tragedy at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School was Canada’s deadliest since 1989 when a gunman killed 14 women at École Polytechnique in Montreal. This incident serves as a stark reminder of the profound impact that isolation online can have, especially among young people grappling with severe mental health issues and violent ideation.

As this case unfolds, it highlights the critical role of digital platforms in both shaping and amplifying young minds’ exposure to harmful content. Authorities emphasize ongoing collaboration between law enforcement, mental health professionals, and social media companies to better monitor and manage online environments that can exacerbate existing vulnerabilities among youth.