The killer, named by police as Jesse Van Rootselaar, committed suicide after Tuesday shooting at Tumbler Ridgeand remote community in the Pacific province of British Columbia. Police also reduced the death toll to nine from the initially reported 10.

“Police have visited that (family) residence on a number of occasions over the past several years, dealing with mental health issues in relation to our suspect,” said Deputy Commissioner Dwayne McDonald, commander of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in British Columbia.

Read moreIn a mass shooting at a school in British Columbia, at least 8 dead, dozens injured

McDonald said Van Rootselaar, who was born male but began identifying as female six years ago, first killed her mother, 39, and her 11-year-old half-brother in the family home.

The murders happened in the house first, he said. A young family member in the house went to a neighbor, who called the police.

Then she went to the school, where she shot a 39-year-old teacher, as well as three 12-year-old students and two students, one 12 and one 13.

“We believe the suspect acted alone … it would be premature to speculate on a motive,” he said at a news conference.

“There is no information at this time that anyone has been targeted,” McDonald said.

Police found a long rifle and a modified handgun. McDonald said officers arrived at the school two minutes after the first call. When they arrived, shots were fired in their direction.

More than 25 people were wounded Tuesday in an attack in the small mountain community of Tumbler Ridge, police said.

The town of 2,700 residents in the Canadian Rockies is located more than 1,000 kilometers northeast of Vancouver, near the provincial border with Alberta.

(FRANCE 24 with Reuters, AP)