British Columbia sues OpenAI over ChatGPT role in Tumbler Ridge school shooting

September 22, 2026 at 07:44 AM2 min

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British Columbia sued OpenAI in San Francisco federal court on Monday, alleging the company failed to alert police to threats made on ChatGPT before the February 10 Tumbler Ridge school shooting that killed eight. The province seeks compensation for emergency and recovery costs and a court order forcing OpenAI to overhaul its handling of violent threats. The lawsuit names CEO Sam Altman as a defendant.

Key Facts

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in San Francisco on Monday, naming OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman as defendants.
Eight people died in the February 10, 2026 attack in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, including five children and an educator at the secondary school.
The shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, had been flagged by ChatGPT's safety team for conversations about gun violence, but OpenAI did not alert police.
British Columbia seeks financial compensation for past and future emergency response and community recovery costs, plus a court order requiring OpenAI to overhaul its threat identification and handling procedures.
More than 30 lawsuits have been filed in the same California federal court by victims' families, survivors, and others affected by the attack.

The Lawsuit

British Columbia filed the lawsuit in federal court in San Francisco on Monday, naming OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, as defendants. The province seeks financial compensation to cover past and future costs tied to emergency response and community recovery efforts. It also seeks a court order forcing OpenAI to overhaul how it identifies and handles user conversations that threaten violence. British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma said the lawsuit raises questions about the responsibilities of technology companies when they become aware of credible threats of serious violence.

The Shooting

Eight victims died in the February 10, 2026 attack in Tumbler Ridge, described by officials as one of Canada's worst mass shootings. The shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, killed her mother and half-brother at their home before going to a secondary school, where she killed five children and an educator, then died by suicide at the scene. Van Rootselaar, a former student at the school, had been flagged by ChatGPT's safety team after her conversations about gun violence, but the company did not alert police. Media reports revealed that Van Rootselaar's ChatGPT activity was flagged by OpenAI's safety team for references to gun violence months before the attack.

OpenAI Response

In April, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman published a letter to the community saying he was "deeply sorry" OpenAI had not contacted law enforcement. Altman promised reforms but never followed through, despite efforts by the province's attorney general to engage, according to the lawsuit. Sharma said in a statement that to date OpenAI has not taken meaningful steps to address the concerns raised by survivors, families, and the Tumbler Ridge community. The BBC has requested comment from OpenAI regarding the latest lawsuit.