Tumbler Ridge shooter alleged co-conspirator indicted by U.S. grand jury

Published 8:42 pm Friday, October 16, 2026 By Lauren Collins/Black Press A grand jury in Washington State indicted the alleged co-conspirator in the fatal Tumbler Ridge mass shooting, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. James Cody Bryant, 30, was indicted Wednesday (Oct. 14) by a grand jury sitting in the Western District of Washington for conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country for Bryant’s alleged role in the school shooting that left seven people, including the shooter, dead at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on Feb. 10. The charge is specific to the school shooting. Shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar also shot and killed her mother and brother before going to the school. READ MORE: RCMP, families release names, photos to honour Tumbler Ridge shooting victims An indictment by a grand jury is a necessary step in the U.S. federal criminal justice system, where the grand jury determines whether there is enough evidence to even seek a trial for the charge. The indictment says that Van Rootselaar used an improvised explosive device to damage the school and tried to get into other classrooms by firing through locked doors. The shooter exchanged gunfire with the police, but ultimately died from a “self-inflicted wound.” Acting United States Attorney Neil Floyd first announced the charge against Bryant, a Bellingham resident, on Oct. 6. Bryant, who is transgender, has been identified by other media as using the name Melody. Conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country can come with a sentence of up to life in prison. The charge against Bryant has not yet been proven in court. Bryant, who was denied bail on Tuesday, is scheduled for arraignment on Oct. 22. The indictment alleges “several overt acts” Bryant is accused of to “further the school shooting conspiracy.” The indictment alleges that as early as August 2025, Bryant agreed to record the shooting and broadcast it over the internet. That same month, Bryant tested the quality of the livestream and confirmed it looked “solid.” It’s also alleged that, at various times, Bryant offered the shooter advice on where to attack and what weapons to use. Bryant allegedly tested the livestream again in January 2026 – the month before the shooting – and told Van Rootselaar that it worked, according to the indictment. Then in January 2026, Bryant allegedly sent Van Rootselaar money via PayPal to purchase a lighter for use in an improvised explosive device. On the day of the shooting, Bryant allegedly confirmed that the livestream was visible, but that later it had gone down. Authorities previously said the livestream was online for 20 seconds before being shut down. The indictment adds that Bryant “made clear” the planning of the attack was illegal, “discussing ways they should conceal their communications or the source of the livestream.” The U.S. Attorney’s Office alleges that Bryant was in “frequent communication” with Van Rootselaar in the six months leading up to the school shooting. When Bryant was initially charged, authorities said Bryan and Van Rootselaar allegedly met on the now-defunct Omegle video chatroom about three years prior to the shooting and developed a friendship. Court documents show that shortly after the shooting, law enforcement learned that Van Rootselaar had been communicating with someone via Discord, an instant messaging service. That person was later identified as Bryant. Authorities claim there were thousands of communications between the two, which were detailed in an Oct. 2 court filing. The case is still being investigated by the FBI, with help from Homeland Security Investigations and the RCMP. It’s being prosecuted by Assistant United States Attorney Todd Greenberg, with help from the Justice Department’s National Security Division. There are also 30-plus lawsuits filed in California court against OpenAI and its founder, Sam Altman, for its failure to notify law enforcement after it shut down two ChatGPT accounts connected to Van Rootselaar. OpenAI is seeking to have it moved to a British Columbia court. READ MORE: OpenAI apologizes over missed warning following Tumbler Ridge mass shooting READ MORE: Open AI vows reforms after Tumbler Ridge shooting review READ MORE: U.S. news outlet reveals details from Tumbler Ridge shooter’s ChatGPT account