When it's the BBC trying to protect the pronouns of a transgender school shooter.
On BBC Radio 4 today the shooter was called 'a female in a dress' as if the dress was proof of something. Immediate suspicion it was a man because we've been here before and seems to be a trick to reinforce the idea that it's a woman since presumably only a woman would be wearing a dress. A news report wouldn't specifically refer to a 'man in trousers' of course.
Jesse Strang, also referred to as Jess Strang, was a 17- to 19-year-old (reports vary) resident of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, Canada, who has been identified by family members, local residents, and multiple media outlets as the perpetrator of the mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on February 10, 2026.
Strang is described as a biological male who began identifying as transgender (female) around 2023, using she/her pronouns, and had an associated YouTube account featuring the transgender pride flag and anime-style content. Reports indicate Strang sought transition-related advice online as early as age 15, including on Reddit (now-deleted account).
Background and Identification
- Family Confirmation: Strang's uncle, Russell G. Strang, directly confirmed the identity and transgender status to Juno News, stating Jesse was responsible for the attack that killed 10 people total (including the suspect).
- Local and Media Reports: Residents like Liam Irving and Juan van Heerden, who knew Strang from school, also identified them to outlets such as Western Standard. The shooter was initially described by police as a "female in a dress with brown hair," and some reports note Strang was wearing a dress during the incident.
- Online Presence: A YouTube channel under "JessJessUwU" (with 111 subscribers) is linked to Strang, featuring posts like "I've been pretty um, aimless. :P" from six months prior.
The Incident
On February 10, 2026, Strang allegedly killed two people at a nearby residence before proceeding to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where six more were killed and around 25-27 injured. One victim died en route to the hospital, bringing the total fatalities to 10 (including Strang, who died from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound at the school).
This marks one of Canada's deadliest school shootings since the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) have confirmed the suspect's identity internally but have not publicly released the name, citing privacy and the ongoing investigation; the motive remains unknown.
