People in the small Canadian town of Tumbler Ridge have reacted with shock and disbelief after nine people were killed and at least 25 wounded in a shooting at a local secondary school and home.
Members of the remote community, 415 miles (667 km) northeast of the western city of Vancouver, spoke of their fear and uncertainty during the school lockdown, as no one appeared to be aware of the magnitude of what was unfolding.
I will know every victim. I've been here 19 years, and we're a small community, town mayor Darryl Krakowka shared. I don't call them residents. I call them family.
Chris Norbury, a town councillor, expressed anguish as he awaited news of his family amidst the chaos. He, like many others, saw emergency vehicles racing to the scene while feeling utterly helpless. His daughter was locked down in her school during the ordeal, heightening his anxiety.
Norbury conveyed the terror of not knowing if his wife, also caught in the lockdown, was safe. It was terrifying, it's hard to put into words the dread and the fear that you feel knowing that a loved one is in danger, he said.
Students barricaded doors in a desperate bid for safety, recalling the chilling sounds of gunfire echoing from nearby classrooms. Ashen-faced, they waited in tense silence as social media buzzed with unsettling snippets of information.
As town residents begin to process the weight of the tragedy, the community stands united in sorrow, pledging to support one another through the long road of recovery.
