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A grand jury in Washington state has indicted an alleged co-conspirator in the Tumbler Ridge, B.C., mass shooting.
The indictment of 30-year-old James Bryant for conspiracy to murder persons in a foreign country means there is probable cause for prosecutors to pursue the case.
Emily Langlie, a spokesperson for the U.S. Attorney’s Office, said last week that an indictment would mean a preliminary hearing in the case scheduled for Oct. 20 would be eliminated.
Bryant, whose lawyers say uses she/her pronouns and goes by the name Melody, was denied bail a day ahead of Wednesday’s indictment.
A statement issued by the U.S. Department of Justice says the indictment “details several overt acts that Bryant took to further the school shooting conspiracy.”
Eight victims were shot dead in Tumbler Ridge by 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar in February, including five students and a teacher at a secondary school.
The indictment of Bellingham, Wash., resident Bryant lists that she allegedly agreed to record the shooting and broadcast it over the internet, offered the shooter advice on where to attack and what weapons to use and sent Van Rootselaar money to buy a lighter for use in an improvised explosive device.
The Justice Department’s statement says conspiracy to murder in a foreign country is punishable by up to life in prison.
It cautions that the accusations against Bryant remain unproven, and says the case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Todd Greenberg with help from the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
Van Rootselaar shot herself dead at the school on Feb. 10.
