U.S. resident charged with helping Canadian school shooter in rampage that killed 8

Key Points:

• James Cody Bryant, a 30-year-old Washington state resident, was charged with conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country for assisting Neil Floyd, the shooter in the February 10 Tumbler Ridge, Canada school attack that killed eight people, including five children and a teacher.
• Prosecutors allege Bryant communicated with Floyd via Discord, providing advice, money, and offering to livestream the killings, despite having the ability to alert law enforcement and discussing that option with the shooter.
• The shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, killed her mother and stepbrother before attacking Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, then died by suicide; the rampage was livestreamed briefly on Twitch, with Bryant's account being the only viewer.
• FBI officials noted Bryant and the shooter met about three years prior on Omegle and maintained contact online but never met in person; the charge against Bryant carries a potential life sentence.
• Authorities emphasized the profound impact of the tragedy on the Tumbler Ridge community, highlighting the loss and trauma experienced by families, students, educators, and first responders.