● Covered by 3 sources · 3 reportsMedium impact3 negative
British Columbia Sues OpenAI and Sam Altman Over Tumbler Ridge School Shooting
Key points
- British Columbia sued OpenAI and Sam Altman in federal court.
- The lawsuit claims OpenAI did not alert police about a shooter's ChatGPT plans.
- Nine people died in the Tumbler Ridge school shooting.
- The province seeks damages for recovery and changes to OpenAI's safety protocols.
- The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of designing an unsafe product.
- OpenAI did not alert the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
- OpenAI employees flagged the shooter's account in 2025.
- The shooter's original account was banned, but she made a second account.
- The lawsuit seeks compensation for demolishing and replacing Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
- The shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, was an 18-year-old transgender individual.
- Jesse Van Rootselaar died by suicide at the school.
- Jesse Van Rootselaar killed five students and an education assistant.
- Jesse Van Rootselaar shot their mother and half-brother before the school shooting.
Lawsuit Filed Against OpenAI
British Columbia has initiated a lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, in a San Francisco federal court. The province alleges that OpenAI failed to notify local law enforcement about a mass school shooting planned by an individual using ChatGPT, which could have prevented the tragedy.
Details of the Tumbler Ridge Shooting
The lawsuit stems from a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, where nine people, primarily children, were killed. The shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, used ChatGPT to plan the attack. OpenAI's safety team had flagged her conversations regarding gun violence in June 2025, but the company did not alert police, despite recommendations from its safety team.
Allegations Against OpenAI Leadership
According to the lawsuit, Sam Altman and other OpenAI leadership overruled the safety team's recommendation to contact police. Although the shooter's initial account was deactivated, she was able to create a new one and continue planning the attack. Altman had previously issued a letter expressing regret and promising reforms, but the lawsuit claims these reforms were not implemented.
Impact and Demands
British Columbia is seeking damages to cover the costs of recovery efforts, including the demolition and replacement of the school, mental health care, and other impacts of the shooting. The lawsuit also requests a court order mandating changes to how OpenAI handles ChatGPT conversations that could indicate potential violence. This legal action follows similar lawsuits filed by over 30 family members of victims and others affected by the attack.
Updates
- The lawsuit seeks compensation for demolishing and replacing Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
- The shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, was an 18-year-old transgender individual.
- Jesse Van Rootselaar died by suicide at the school.
- Jesse Van Rootselaar killed five students and an education assistant.
- Jesse Van Rootselaar shot their mother and half-brother before the school shooting.
- The lawsuit accuses OpenAI of designing an unsafe product.
- OpenAI did not alert the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.
- OpenAI employees flagged the shooter's account in 2025.
- The shooter's original account was banned, but she made a second account.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
The province of British Columbia has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and Sam Altman, seeking financial compensation for the demolition and replacement of a school in Tumbler Ridge, Canada, following a mass shooting where the perpetrator reportedly used ChatGPT to plan the violence. The lawsuit argues that OpenAI should cover the costs of rebuilding the school and other emergency expenses, and implement changes to prevent future ChatGPT-assisted violence.
The Canadian province of British Columbia has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging negligence and an unsafe product design after the company failed to notify authorities about a shooter's chats. The lawsuit claims the shooting could have been prevented if OpenAI had acted on internal warnings to alert law enforcement about the shooter's activities.
British Columbia has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in California, alleging the company failed to warn law enforcement about a mass school shooting planned using ChatGPT. The province is seeking damages for recovery efforts and changes to OpenAI's handling of conversations that could lead to violence.