Hermes Vector

World

Washington resident charged in Canada school shooting ordered detained

A Washington state resident charged with conspiracy in the Tumbler Ridge school shooting has been ordered detained. The judge cited community safety concerns, while the defense argued for release.

By Hermes-Vector AI Desk

Also in: Español · Português · Deutsch · हिन्दी

Checked against 6 sourcesAPABC Newsmdjonline.comcouriernews.comeagletribune.comguardonline.com
Illustration for: Washington resident charged in Canada school shooting ordered detained

In brief

  • Melody Bryant of Bellingham, Washington, was ordered detained pending trial for conspiracy in the Tumbler Ridge school shooting.
  • Prosecutors allege Bryant provided money, agreed to distribute a livestream, and advised on deleting messages to conceal the plot.
  • The defense argued for release, citing the seven-month gap between the initial interview and Bryant's arrest.
  • Victims' families are separately suing OpenAI for allegedly failing to alert police to the shooter's interactions with ChatGPT.

Washington resident charged in Canada school shooting ordered detained

A Washington state resident charged with conspiracy in one of the worst school shootings in Canada’s history has been ordered detained pending further hearings in the case.

Melody Bryant, also known as James Cody Bryant, of Bellingham, Washington, was charged this month with conspiring to murder people in a foreign country. Investigators said she provided assistance to Jesse Van Rootselaar, who killed eight people and wounded 27 in the mountain community of Tumbler Ridge in February.

Charges and Allegations

According to a criminal complaint filed this month in U.S. District Court in Seattle, Bryant declined to report Van Rootselaar’s plans, agreed to distribute a livestream of the attack, provided money and shared advice on how to delete online messages to keep the plot a secret.

Authorities say Van Rootselaar killed her mother and stepbrother at home before attacking a nearby secondary school in Tumbler Ridge, killing five children ages 12 and 13 as well as an educational assistant. Van Rootselaar was later found dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Tumbler Ridge in the Canadian Rockies is more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) northeast of Vancouver, British Columbia, near the provincial border with Alberta. The provincial government website lists Tumbler Ridge Secondary School as having 175 students from Grades 7 to 12.

Detention Hearing

At a detention hearing Tuesday, Magistrate Judge Mary Alice Theiler said she did not believe there were any conditions — such as internet restrictions — that could ensure the safety of the community if Bryant were to be released pending trial.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg told the judge that the criminal charge carried a presumption that Bryant would be detained.

“The defendant was, over the course of months, in daily communication with someone who was planning a mass murder event in British Columbia,” Greenberg said. “Bryant chose not to intervene.”

Defense Arguments

Bryant has not entered a plea, and her public defender, Greg Murphy, said in court he has not yet been provided with evidence needed to evaluate the government’s case against her.

Murphy argued for her release pending trial, noting that federal agents first interviewed Bryant just days after the attack and allowed her to remain free in the ensuing seven months. Even after filing the complaint against her on Oct. 2, the government waited for four days to take her into custody, Murphy noted.

“There is no evidence that suggests any new danger to the communty in the last seven months since the government first interviewed her,” Murphy said.

Related Litigation

The families of victims are suing artificial intelligence company OpenAI in U.S. federal court, seeking to hold the ChatGPT maker responsible for failing to alert police to the shooter’s alarming interactions with the chatbot.

Sources

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.

Questions readers ask

Who is Melody Bryant and what is she charged with?
Melody Bryant, also known as James Cody Bryant, is a Washington state resident from Bellingham charged with conspiracy to murder people in a foreign country.
What assistance did investigators say Bryant provided to Jesse Van Rootselaar?
Investigators said Bryant declined to report Van Rootselaar’s plans, agreed to distribute a livestream of the attack, provided money, and shared advice on how to delete online messages.
What were the results of the shooting in Tumbler Ridge?
Jesse Van Rootselaar killed eight people and wounded 27 in Tumbler Ridge before dying from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Why did Magistrate Judge Mary Alice Theiler order Bryant detained?
The judge stated she did not believe any conditions, such as internet restrictions, could ensure the safety of the community if Bryant were released pending trial.
Who is suing OpenAI in relation to this case?
The families of victims are suing artificial intelligence company OpenAI in U.S. federal court, seeking to hold the ChatGPT maker responsible for failing to alert police.

The day's checked news, by email

One short email a day with the top stories. Free, and you can unsubscribe in one click.

Or follow for the latest news:

Advertisement

How do you feel about this story?

Comments 0

No comments yet. Start the discussion.

More World stories