Developing·Case the developing record
#DC-0202

James Cody Bryant

Federal case alleging a Bellingham resident conspired before the Tumbler Ridge school shooting.

Charged · allegations
last updated 8 October 2026 · 3 sources
Confirmed facts
9
Open questions
3
Stage
Charged
Next date
20 Oct 2026
This case is still developing. Get an email when the file updates.
Audio brief · automated narration of the sourced record
Transcript

Case file James Cody Bryant, reference D C zero two zero two. According to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington, Bryant and Jesse Van Rootselaar began communicating over Discord no later than August twenty twenty-five about Van Rootselaar's plan to carry out a shooting in Canada. The U.S. criminal complaint says that in late January twenty twenty-six, Van Rootselaar discussed building an explosive device for the planned attack and asked Bryant to send money to buy a lighter; the complaint alleges Bryant agreed. The U.S. Attorney's Office said the February tenth Tumbler Ridge attack included deaths at a home and at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, including five children ages twelve and thirteen and an educational assistant. The complaint says agents interviewed Bryant on February twelfth, and says Bryant confirmed communicating with Van Rootselaar and viewing an attempted livestream. The U.S. Attorney's Office said Bryant was arrested on October sixth on a criminal complaint charging conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country. The charge is an allegation, and Bryant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. AP reported Bryant was detained ahead of an October twentieth preliminary hearing. The file's open questions include whether prosecutors will seek or obtain an indictment, whether Canadian authorities will bring separate charges, and what evidence, if any, will be presented at the preliminary hearing. This has been an automated reading of case file D C zero two zero two at developing case dot com. Every fact you heard names a public source.

Timeline of what's confirmed9 entries
August 2025
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington said Bryant and Jesse Van Rootselaar began communicating over Discord no later than August 2025 about Van Rootselaar's plan to carry out a shooting in Canada.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington
22 January 2026
The criminal complaint says that on or about 22-25 January 2026, Van Rootselaar discussed building an explosive device for the planned attack and asked Bryant to send money to buy a lighter; the complaint alleges Bryant agreed.
U.S. criminal complaint
10 February 2026
The U.S. Attorney's Office said the Tumbler Ridge attack included deaths at a home and at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, including five children ages 12 and 13 and an educational assistant at the school.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington
10 February 2026
The criminal complaint says Van Rootselaar's livestream lasted about 20 seconds before it disconnected and was viewed by one Twitch account.
U.S. criminal complaint
12 February 2026
The criminal complaint says Homeland Security Investigations agents interviewed Bryant at Bryant's Bellingham residence and that Bryant admitted using the Discord account identified in the complaint.
U.S. criminal complaint
12 February 2026
The criminal complaint says Bryant confirmed communicating with Van Rootselaar in the months before the attack and viewing Van Rootselaar's attempted livestream.
U.S. criminal complaint
2 October 2026
A federal criminal complaint was filed in the Western District of Washington in United States v. James Cody Bryant, case number 2:26-mj-00618-BAT.
U.S. criminal complaint
6 October 2026
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Bryant, a 30-year-old Bellingham resident, was arrested on a criminal complaint charging conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country; the charge is an allegation and Bryant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington
20 October 2026
AP reported that Bryant was detained ahead of a preliminary hearing set for 20 October 2026.
AP
Open questionsunconfirmed · not conclusions
Will prosecutors seek or obtain an indictment after the criminal complaint?unconfirmed · unconfirmed
Will Canadian authorities bring any separate charges?unconfirmed · unconfirmed
What evidence, if any, will be presented at the 20 October 2026 preliminary hearing?future proceeding · unconfirmed
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