Bombshell: In 2023 Matt Walsh Commented on a Trans Redditor - 2 Days Ago That Same Person Shot up Canada's Tumbler Ridge School

A disturbing online trail has surfaced following Tuesday’s deadly shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia — and it includes a years-old Reddit post that conservative commentator Matt Walsh once flagged as emblematic of a growing cultural crisis.

Authorities have identified the shooter as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, who, according to CBC, killed eight people before taking his own life. Police believe Van Rootselaar also fatally shot his mother, Jennifer Strang, at the family home prior to the attack.

In the aftermath, online investigators linked Van Rootselaar to a Reddit account known as “jesseboy347,” an account that had reportedly been referenced publicly in the past and even promoted by his mother. The account had posted extensively in forums related to gender identity.

Three years ago, a screenshot from that same account circulated widely on social media with the caption “never let your kids watch anime.” The original post, titled “How do I stop comparing myself to fictional characters?” was shared in a subreddit focused on male-to-female gender transition.

In the post, the user described identifying as transgender and “pre-HRT,” meaning prior to beginning hormone replacement therapy.

“I’ve been viewing a lot of anime content recently, and never went into it before,” he wrote.

He went on to explain feelings of inadequacy when comparing himself to animated characters, adding that “when it comes to their body shape n stuff, I often find myself comparing their semi-unrealistic (Yet still physically possible) shape.”

The post also expressed frustration about not meeting certain physical expectations tied to a planned “transition.”

At the time, Walsh reposted the screenshot to highlight what he argued were troubling cultural influences on young people struggling with identity. This week, following the shooting, he reshared the post, telling followers, “Hate to say I told you so.” After the account Reddit Lies resurfaced the original moment, Walsh added, “I once again hate to say I told you so.”

There is no indication Walsh had any knowledge of the individual behind the account beyond what was publicly visible online at the time. Still, the resurfacing of the post has intensified debate over mental health, online subcultures, and the broader cultural messaging directed at vulnerable youth.

Critics of radical gender ideology argue that affirming extreme identity distress without rigorous mental health intervention can worsen underlying psychological struggles. They point to several high-profile cases in recent years in which perpetrators of mass violence reportedly identified as transgender or non-binary.

In 2023, a biological female who identified as male carried out a deadly shooting at a Christian school in Nashville, Tennessee. In 2022, a self-identified non-binary individual killed six people at a nightclub in Colorado Springs. Media outlets such as The Post Millennial have compiled additional cases in which gender identity was reported as part of a suspect’s background.

Law enforcement officials have not yet indicated a motive in the British Columbia attack, and investigators continue to examine digital evidence, personal writings, and psychological history.

What is clear, however, is that the conversation surrounding mental illness, identity politics, and the influence of online communities is far from over. As policymakers, educators, and parents grapple with rising rates of youth anxiety, depression, and identity confusion, tragedies like this one are certain to reignite debate about where cultural affirmation ends — and where meaningful intervention should begin.

For many conservatives, the issue is not compassion but clarity: how to address profound mental health struggles without embracing ideologies they believe may deepen instability rather than resolve it.

The investigation into the Tumbler Ridge massacre remains ongoing.