Federal prosecutors have charged a Washington state resident with conspiracy to murder people in a foreign country, saying the defendant sent money and advice to the shooter who killed eight people in a Canadian school attack and agreed to broadcast it live.
Story Highlights
- The FBI arrested James Cody Bryant, 30, in Bellingham, Washington, on Tuesday, October 6.
- Prosecutors say Bryant sent money and gave advice to the shooter over about six months.
- The complaint says Bryant agreed to record the attack and stream it live online.
- The charge carries up to life in prison. Bryant has not been tried.
Federal Charge Ties Washington Resident To Deadly B.C. School Attack
The charge grows out of the February 10 shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia, Canada. Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd, the top federal prosecutor for western Washington, said the accused could have stopped it. “Bryant had the information and ability to alert law enforcement…but he chose not to,” Floyd said. “Instead, he encouraged and offered assistance to a murderer.”
The FBI and RCMP say James Cody Bryant allegedly provided tactical support and advice to Tumbler Ridge shooter Jesse Strang, including helping him access the vehicle used to reach the school.
Authorities say the two developed an online relationship on Omegle, where they bonded…— darmaclivinglife (@darmac95934198) October 7, 2026
Bryant was arrested on a criminal complaint, a sworn statement from an investigator that lays out the evidence and lets a judge approve an arrest. It is an accusation. It is not a grand jury indictment and it is not a conviction. The complaint names the defendant as James Cody Bryant and uses no gendered pronouns. Officials said they believe Bryant is transgender.
Alleged Money, Advice And A Planned Livestream
The complaint says Bryant and the shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, met about three years before the attack on a random chat site that has since shut down. They kept talking on Discord, an online chat service. Prosecutors say the two began discussing a mass shooting in August 2025 and stayed in touch through the day it happened.
According to the complaint, Bryant sent money for items the shooter wanted, including a lighter, gave advice about firearms, and told Van Rootselaar to delete messages and use a virtual private network, a tool that hides where a person is online. The complaint says the two talked about sending weapons to Canada and that Bryant declined to do that.
Prosecutors say Bryant also agreed to record the attack and stream it live on the internet “in a way that would maximize notoriety,” helped test the streaming equipment ahead of time, and confirmed the feed was coming through moments before the shooting began. FBI Special Agent W. Mike Herrington said Bryant “stayed awake after an overnight work shift to make sure this horrific attack could be viewed online.”
What Happened In Tumbler Ridge
Eight people were killed on February 10. Two were members of the shooter’s own family, killed at home: the shooter’s mother and an 11-year-old boy. Six died at the school: five students, ages 12 and 13, and an educational assistant. Van Rootselaar died of a self-inflicted injury at the school.
The complaint says Bryant had a hand in the second part of that day. After the killings at the home, the shooter’s vehicle would not start. Prosecutors say Bryant gave instructions on starting the engine, and Van Rootselaar then drove to the school. Herrington said Bryant “even admits to being maybe the only one who could stop the shooter.”
What A Criminal Complaint Means In A Federal Case
A complaint is the first step. Prosecutors usually take a serious case to a grand jury next, and a grand jury decides whether to issue an indictment, the formal charge that sends a case toward trial. The government must prove in court that Bryant knowingly joined a plan to kill. Conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country carries a sentence of up to life in prison.
Investigators built the case on messages and records. Discord reported the pair’s conversation to authorities shortly after the shooting, and the complaint draws on those chats and on money transfers. American and Canadian officers announced the arrest together at a news conference in Seattle.
The Lesson For Families And Schools
Prosecutors describe months of warning signs that one person saw and kept quiet about. For parents, teachers and police, the lesson is plain: when someone talks about killing, call the authorities fast. A phone call is all it takes to put a threat in front of people who can stop it.
For the families in Tumbler Ridge, the arrest means the case did not end with the shooter. A federal court in Washington state will now weigh the evidence against the person prosecutors say helped.
Sources:
foxnews.com, usatoday.com, cbc.ca, justice.gov, globalnews.ca
