Some outlets referred to Jesse Van Rootselaar, who was born male, as ‘she,’ others used ‘they’
The transgender perpetrator of Tuesday’s attack on a Canadian high school in British Columbia, Jesse Van Rootselaar, was born male and began transitioning six years ago, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Here’s how mainstream media reports described him.
Associated Press
Suspect in Canada shooting is identified as an 18-year-old with history of police visits to her home
“The suspect in a school shooting in Canada was an 18-year-old who had a history of police visits to her home to check on her mental health, authorities said Wednesday, a day after the attack that killed eight people in a remote part of British Columbia.
“Police said Jesse Van Rootselaar was found dead from an apparent self-inflicted wound following the assault on a school in the small mountain community of Tumbler Ridge.
“The motive was unclear.”
The post does not mention that Van Rootselaar was born male.
Reuters
Canadian police identify 18-year-old woman as suspect in mass school shooting
“The suspect in a deadly school shooting in western Canada was an 18-year-old woman with mental health issues who killed her mother and stepbrother before attacking her former school, police said on Wednesday, but investigators did not offer a motive for one of the worst mass slaughters in Canadian history.”
The post goes on to note that Van Rootselaar “was born male but began identifying as a female six years ago.”
ABC News
8 killed in Canada school shooting, including members of alleged suspect’s family: Police
“The suspected shooter—identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar—is dead from what is believed to be a self-inflicted injury, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
“The suspect did not currently have any firearms registered to her, according to the RCMP.”
New York Times
What We Know About the Deadly Mass Shooting in Canada
“Ms. Van Rootselaar and her family were known to the authorities, Mr. McDonald said, adding that the police had last visited the home in the spring for mental health issues that included self harm.
“Ms. Van Rootselaar was assigned male at birth and began transitioning to female six years ago, Mr. McDonald said. He added that the police would continue identifying her as a female. He said that the authorities were not able to say why the suspect had carried out the murder spree, one of the worst in Canadian history.”
USA Today
What we know after 8 killed in shootings at Canadian school, home
“The shooter was identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who had a long history mental health issues and interactions with the police, McDonald said at a news conference on Wednesday.
“He said Van Rootselaar was born male, began transitioning six years ago and identified as female. He said police are using her chosen name.
“In the last several years, police had responded to Van Rootselaar’s home on ‘multiple occasions’ over concerns with her mental health, McDonald said.”
NBC News
Shooter in mass killing in Canada was a troubled teenager, police say
“Van Rootselaar was born male but had been transitioning to female for the past six years, said Dwayne McDonald, deputy commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
“The teenager fatally shot a 39-year-old woman believed to be their mother and their 11-year-old stepbrother Tuesday at their home in Tumbler Ridge, in British Columbia, McDonald said.”
CNN
Suspected shooter named as community gathers to grieve after Canada’s worst school shooting in decades. Here’s what we know
“Asked whether Van Rootselaar was transgender, McDonald said that police were identifying her ‘as they chose to be identified in public and in social media.’
“‘I can say that Jesse was born as a biological male who approximately six years ago began to transition to female and identified as female, both socially and publicly,’ McDonald said.”
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