British Columbia Sues OpenAI Over Tumbler Ridge Shooting

The Canadian province of British Columbia has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that the company failed to notify law enforcement about threats made through ChatGPT before the February 10, 2026, mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in San Francisco and seeks financial compensation for emergency-response and community-recovery costs, as well as a court order requiring OpenAI to improve how it detects and handles conversations involving threats of violence. Eight people were killed in the attack, which officials described as one of Canada’s worst mass shootings. The 18-year-old shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, first killed her mother and half-brother at their home before going to a secondary school, where she killed five children and an educator. She then died by suicide at the scene. According to the province, OpenAI’s safety team had flagged Van Rootselaar’s conversations because of discussions about gun violence, but the company did not alert police. British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma said residents deserved answers and accountability, and argued that the case raises broader questions about the obligations of technology companies that become aware of credible threats. The lawsuit also alleges that Altman expressed regret in an April letter to the community and promised reforms, but did not follow through despite efforts by Sharma’s office to engage with OpenAI. The provincial action follows more than 30 lawsuits filed in the same California federal court by victims’ families, survivors and others affected by the shooting. Those cases accuse OpenAI of negligence for failing to intervene or alert authorities.

British Columbia is suing OpenAI in a US federal court over allegations that the company failed to alert authorities about threatening ChatGPT interactions before the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting. The province says OpenAI’s safety team had flagged activity from Jessie Van Rootselaar’s account because it contained references to gun violence, but the company did not notify law enforcement before the 18-year-old killed eight people, including six children, in February. British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma said the case raises broader questions about the responsibilities of technology companies that become aware of credible threats of serious violence. She accused OpenAI of failing to take meaningful action in response to concerns from survivors, victims’ families and the Tumbler Ridge community. Sharma said the province had asked OpenAI to disclose the relevant ChatGPT conversations, but the company refused, leaving officials unable to review their contents directly. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman previously apologised to the victims’ families, saying he was deeply sorry that the company had not alerted law enforcement. Families of people killed or injured in the shooting have also filed separate lawsuits against OpenAI. The company has not yet responded publicly to the latest provincial case, according to the article. The lawsuit was filed in California because the alleged decision not to report the account was made there. Sharma said that any financial damages awarded to British Columbia would be used to help rebuild the secondary school affected by the tragedy. The case is likely to intensify debate over AI safety systems, transparency, privacy, and when technology companies should be required to report potentially dangerous user behavior to authorities.

British Columbia has filed a lawsuit in a San Francisco federal court against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging that a mass shooting at a school in Tumbler Ridge could have been prevented if the company had alerted police about the shooter’s use of ChatGPT. The province is seeking damages to help cover recovery costs, including the demolition and replacement of the school, mental-health services, and other consequences of the attack. It is also asking the court to require OpenAI to change how it handles conversations that may indicate a risk of violence. According to the lawsuit, Jesse Van Rootselaar’s ChatGPT conversations about gun violence were flagged by OpenAI’s safety team in June 2025. Safety staff reportedly recommended contacting law enforcement, but OpenAI leadership, including Altman, allegedly rejected that recommendation. The account was deactivated, but Van Rootselaar was able to create another account and continue using the platform to plan the attack. The company later said the activity was detected as misuse related to violent activities but did not meet its internal threshold for reporting to police. Van Rootselaar, who was 18, allegedly shot her mother and stepbrother at home before killing an educational assistant and five students at her former school on 10 February. She then died by suicide. Altman subsequently apologized to the community and promised reforms, but British Columbia’s attorney general alleges that he did not follow through despite efforts to engage with the company. The case follows lawsuits by more than 30 victims’ family members and others affected by the attack, as well as separate litigation alleging that ChatGPT facilitated violence. OpenAI expressed sympathy, defended its continuing safety work, and said it notifies law enforcement when conversations suggest an imminent and credible risk of harm. The company has denied broader allegations concerning the platform’s safety.