Tumbler Ridge man recounts tragic day as he says shooting may accelerate timeline for his moving away

TUMBLER RIDGE, B.C. — A Tumbler Ridge man says he may move away after the mass shooting which has scarred the tight-knit community. 

On what began as a beautiful, sunny day in Tumbler Ridge on February 10th, Alex Hardwick was in his home when he suddenly heard an emergency alert go off.

“At first, I thought it was just an amber alert, but when I looked at the phone, it said there was an active shooter,” Hardwick, who is originally from eastern Prince Edward Island, said.

Hardwick, who has been living in northeast B.C. for about two years, said the shootings that took place at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and at a residence has scarred the residents of the tight-knitted community forever.

The shooter killed five children and a staff member before taking her own life. Prior to that, she fatally shot her mother and step-brother at their residence nearby.

“I thought some kid with a pellet gun or a BB gun was trying to scare people, but it got too real as the day went on when I started hearing ambulances and fire trucks,” he said.

Hardwick and his girlfriend Chloe Kammermayer live five minutes away from the school.

Unsure of what was going on, he was more concerned about her wrapping up her day at work and walking home.

The incident has also greatly impacted Kammermayer since she grew up in the town and knew the children at the school, and their families, he said.

There was even more devastation later when they found out his coworker’s child was one of the victims.

“All I can think of is those innocent little souls. Everyone in the community has been deeply affected by this. There is not much smiling going around,” Hardwick said.

The 27-year-old, who is originally from Montague but grew up in Morell, moved to Tumbler Ridge around two years ago after working on and off at a coal plant as a technician for two years prior to that.

“It is a vibrant community. It is known for having beautiful hiking trails and dinosaur fossil sites. It is a shame that it will now be known for this tragic event,” he added.

The residents are still processing things and trying to ease back into their normal lives, he said, adding he has taken some time off work and will take advantage of the counsellor on site at his workplace.

He said the first vigil after the incident was heartbreaking for the entire community.

“It’s nice to see the community come together like this. It was beautiful to see,” he said, before being overcome by emotion.

He appreciated community, provincial and national leaders coming together in solidarity during a second vigil held last Friday.

“The incident has created a big hole in people’s lives, and these are sweet and good people,” he said.

The couple were not planning on living in Tumbler Ridge forever, but he said the tragedy might accelerate the process of moving.

It will take time for him to process the event which could have a long-lasting impact on his life, he added.

“You never think it will happen in your own town. And when I found out this was the second most devastating (school) shooting in the history of Canada, it was an awful feeling,” he added.