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Tumbler Ridge Conspiracy Complaint Puts Focus on Messaging and Social Media Firms
Court filings say months of Discord messages covered weapons, livestream plans and ammunition theft before the attack that killed eight victims, officials said.
On Tuesday, U.S. authorities arrested 30-year-old James Cody Bryant, charging him with conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country related to the February 10 Tumbler Ridge shooting. Court filings revealed Discord chats detailed the attack planning.
Shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar met Bryant about three years ago after being randomly matched on the now-defunct Omegle messaging app. The pair spent months discussing tactics, weapons, and logistics for the mass casualty event via Discord.
FBI special agent Mike Harrington told a news conference that Discord provided the chats after investigators obtained subpoenas. Evidence detailed plans to livestream murders on Twitch, target evaluation, weapon theft, and incendiary device construction.
Federal Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree called the revelations "rather outrageous and seriously worrisome," noting online collaboration issues are being addressed through proposed legislation known as Bill C34.
B.C. NDP Leader David Eby demanded Ottawa impose stricter regulations on tech companies, insisting they report conversations about violence to police as government lawyers review the Bryant complaint.