B.C. Premier David Eby fought back tears Wednesday as he described the profound sadness and resiliency on display in the northern British Columbia community of Tumbler Ridge following one of the country’s deadliest mass shootings.

“It’s horrifying and inspirational at the same time,” Eby said less than three hours after arriving in the small mining town of 2,400 residents.

The premier delivered his remarks outside the Tumbler Ridge town hall after attending a small vigil for the victims of the shootings, which left nine people dead, including the suspect, and more than two dozen others injured.

“No one is focusing on themselves here,” the premier added. “Everybody’s worried about somebody else.”

Eby said he has been briefed by the commissioner of the RCMP about their interactions with the suspect, and his government has been in touch with the Northern Health authority “to understand what interactions may have taken place” with her prior to the shootings.

“We all want to do all we can to understand what happened and to make sure that we’re taking any steps to prevent tragedies like this from happening again,” Eby said.

Victim’s father speaks out

Twelve-year-old Kylie Smith, who was the “light of her family,” is being identified by her grieving family as one of the students killed in a shooting at a Tumbler Ridge, B.C. high school Wednesday.

Her family spoke to CTV News Wednesday, from the small community that has been shattered by the shocking mass shooting that left nine people dead, including the suspect.

“She was just a beautiful soul. She loves art and anime. She wanted to go to school in Toronto, and we just loved her so much. She was thriving in high school,” her father, Lance Younge said. “She never hurt a soul.”