A Seattle district court judge is set to decide on Tuesday whether James Cody Bryant, an alleged co-conspirator in the Tumbler Ridge incident, should be granted bail. Bryant, a 30-year-old individual residing in Bellingham, Wash., was arrested on October 6 and charged with conspiracy to murder individuals in a foreign nation. Prosecutors claim Bryant played a role in supporting and encouraging Jesse Van Rootselaar, the perpetrator of the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School shooting on February 10, which resulted in the deaths of five students and one staff member. Prior to the school attack, Van Rootselaar also killed her mother and stepbrother at their residence.
Law enforcement alleges that Bryant, through online interactions on Discord, agreed to livestream the attack, provided financial support to Van Rootselaar, and offered logistical assistance over several months. Assistant U.S. attorney Todd Greenberg, handling the case against Bryant, argued that Bryant poses a flight risk and a danger to the public, hence should not be granted bail.
In court documents, conversations between Bryant and Van Rootselaar were cited as evidence of Bryant’s involvement in the planning of the attack. Despite a failed livestream initiated by Bryant just before the incident, prosecutors highlighted a payment of $14.33 that Bryant sent to Van Rootselaar for the purchase of a lighter to ignite an explosive device. The payment was unsuccessful due to the deactivation of the recipient’s account.
Greenberg emphasized concerns about Bryant’s mental health, substance abuse issues, and the seriousness of the offense, stating that Bryant’s actions contributed to the potential harm inflicted during the attack. Defense attorneys Gregory Murphy and Dennis Carroll countered these arguments by asserting Bryant’s cooperation with investigators post-incident, her lack of a criminal record, stable ties to the community, and long-term employment at a local McDonald’s.
The defense team proposed conditional release for Bryant, suggesting measures such as home detention, mental health assessments, and strict internet usage restrictions. The final decision on Bryant’s bail remains pending, with both sides presenting compelling arguments in the ongoing legal proceedings.
