Gun control advocacy groups are renewing calls for the RCMP to release more details about the firearms used in February’s deadly shooting in Tumbler Ridge.
The groups said in a letter this week to RCMP Commissioner Mike Duheme that too many details are still not public about the weapons used in the shooting.
“As a new school year begins, students, parents, educators and communities deserve more than condolences. They deserve verified information that can help Canada identify and address failures in gun control law and/or its enforcement before another mass shooting occurs,” they said.
“In a mass murder investigation like the one at Tumbler Ridge, operational secrecy and public accountability can coexist.”
The letter was signed by representatives of PolySeSouvient, founded by survivors of the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre, and Boufeldja Benabdallah, co-founder of the Quebec City mosque where a shooter killed six men and left several others injured.
Other signatories include organizers with the groups Angie’s Angels, Canadian Doctors for Protection Against Guns and Danforth Families for Safe Communities.
The groups are calling on RCMP to release details including the make and model of each firearm involved in the shooting, the legal status and provenance of each firearm, and whether the weapons were modified in any way.
They are also calling on RCMP to more regularly update the public on their investigation until it has released a full account of what can be safely disclosed.
The RCMP’s last major update on the investigation came on July 7, after B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma announced the province was exploring legal options against artificial intelligence company OpenAI related to the shooting.
RCMP Senior Media Relations Officer Kris Clark said in a statement Wednesday that the investigation remains active and police cannot discuss any specific details or investigative actions.
“Like any active investigation, timelines are virtually impossible to provide or predict as the investigation is dependent on many factors. However, the BC RCMP remains committed to providing answers where and when we can, and we appreciate the public’s patience as verified, official information becomes available,” said Clark.
Premier David Eby said Wednesday the RCMP investigation has taken longer than he initially expected, but said the first priority should be a thorough criminal investigation.
“As soon as the RCMP can release this information without compromising their investigation, they should,” said Eby.
