"When Jim Caruso heard the news of the school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, he knew immediately he needed to be there. He packed his bags and boarded a plane for the community 700 miles away. I wanted to be here to bring some level of comfort, he said. I wanted to hug people, pray for them and, most importantly, to cry with them."
"On Tuesday, a shooter opened fire in the town's secondary school, killing eight people, most of them young children. It was one of the deadliest attacks in Canada's history and has left the country reeling. It has elicited a wave of support for the British Columbia town from across Canada, in the form of civic resources, grief and trauma counsellors, therapy animals, food and donations."
"Caruso, who retired four years ago, previously worked as a paramedic, pastor and police chaplain a career at the nexus of grief, tragedy and compassion that he said made him suited to the moment. It's hard but I'm wired for this. I spent my life with first responders. And so I know the police, firefighters, paramedics they're just wrecked. They're destroyed, he said. But so are the people here in Tumbler Ridge. And how they're cared for right now is so important."
"On Friday, police said the shooter had been, for lack of a better term, hunting. Armed with two guns, they were prepared and engaging anybody and everybody they could come in contact with. Investigators have identified the suspect as Jesse Van Rootselaar. Police said Van Rootselaar was born a biological male and had begun to transition to female and identified as female."
Jim Caruso flew 700 miles to Tumbler Ridge to comfort residents after a school shooting. He sought to hug, pray and cry with people. A shooter opened fire in the town's secondary school, killing eight people, most of them children. The attack ranks among Canada's deadliest and prompted nationwide support — civic resources, grief and trauma counsellors, therapy animals, food and donations — and hotel shortages. Caruso, a retired paramedic, pastor and police chaplain, said first responders and residents were devastated. Police said the shooter had been hunting with two guns. Investigators identified the suspect as Jesse Van Rootselaar, born a biological male who had begun transitioning to female. Prime Minister Mark Carney visited Tumbler Ridge and praised the courage of first responders, students and teachers.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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