Tumbler Ridge needs mental health help beyond immediate shooting aftermath: psychologist

Mental health help needed

Photo: The Canadian Press

Police could be seen leaving and going to the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School throughout the morning in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. on Wednesday, Feb. 11, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jesse Boily

As the federal and provincial governments pledge support for the people of Tumbler Ridge, B.C., a psychologist specializing in trauma says mental health services will be needed beyond the immediate aftermath of Tuesday's mass shooting.

McMaster University psychologist Dr. Margaret McKinnon says mental health supporters are often brought into communities after tragedies but then leave, leading to a sense of abandonment on top of trauma.

McKinnon says students at the local school targeted in the shooting, parents, first responders and other members of the small community may need long-term psychological support.

She says the most common reactions after mass shootings are fear, anxiety, depression and post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Those can include nightmares or reliving the event, as well as an "overwhelming sense of guilt" about what they could or couldn't have done during the shooting.

McKinnon says post-traumatic stress can also manifest in physical ways, including an upset stomach or other gastrointestinal problems.

She says the symptoms may resolve for many people over time, but at least a quarter of those affected will likely experience them for a year or more.

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988 is a free, 24/7 national service for anyone in Canada experiencing a mental health crisis or having thoughts of suicide. The service is supported by the Canadian Mental Health Association.