Politics
NEW: Trans School Shooter Was Exposed Publicly By Popular Conservative In 2023
Canadian authorities are investigating the background of 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar after the teen allegedly killed eight people and himself in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, and attention has turned to online posts he made years before the attack.
Internet users this week linked Van Rootselaar to a Reddit account that posted in transgender forums in 2023. One of those posts was screenshotted and circulated at the time by Daily Wire commentator Matt Walsh, who criticized what he described as extreme online gender ideology influencing young people.
The Reddit post, titled “How do I stop comparing myself to fictional characters?” was shared widely three years ago. In it, the user described himself as trans and “pre-HRT,” meaning he had not yet begun hormone therapy.
“I’ve been viewing a lot of anime content recently, and never went into it before,” the user wrote.
He expressed frustration over body image comparisons with animated characters, adding that he often compared himself to their “semi-unrealistic (Yet still physically possible) shape.” The post referenced expectations surrounding a future “transition.”
At the time, Walsh reposted a screenshot of the thread and commented, “Hate to say I told you so,” as part of a broader critique of online gender communities and youth culture.
On Tuesday, after Canadian media identified Van Rootselaar as the suspect in the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting, social media users resurfaced the old screenshot and tied the Reddit account to him. Walsh reposted the exchange again, writing, “I once again hate to say I told you so.”
3 years ago, Redditors on r/VaushV lost their minds over Matt Walsh quoting Males of Reddit’s screenshot of jesseboy347.
u/jesseboy347 just shot up a school in Tumbler Ridge, Canada yesterday. pic.twitter.com/Sv9LE6WrRV
— Reddit Lies (@reddit_lies) February 11, 2026
Authorities have not publicly confirmed the connection between the Reddit account and Van Rootselaar, but online investigators noted similarities in usernames and other identifying details. Police have also said they believe Van Rootselaar killed his mother, Jennifer Strang, at the family home prior to carrying out the deadly rampage.
The attack left eight victims dead in the small northern British Columbia community before the suspect took his own life, according to CBC. Officials have not announced a motive, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The resurfaced posts have intensified debate over the role of social media, identity politics and youth mental health in recent acts of violence. Critics argue that certain online spaces can reinforce extreme or unstable thinking in vulnerable young people. Advocacy groups caution against drawing sweeping conclusions about transgender individuals based on isolated crimes.
RELATED: Mass Casualties Confirmed After School Shooting In Canada
Walsh did not claim prior knowledge of the suspect beyond the publicly available Reddit post he criticized in 2023. His supporters say the resurfaced exchange underscores long-standing concerns about online communities and ideology. Detractors argue it is inappropriate to politicize a tragedy before investigators release full findings.
As law enforcement in British Columbia continues piecing together the timeline and digital footprint of the suspect, the case has once again spotlighted how years-old social media posts can resurface with disturbing clarity after a national tragedy.
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