The province of British Columbia is suing OpenAI for its alleged failure to notify authorities about concerning user interactions on ChatGPT prior to the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting. The lawsuit was filed in a US federal court on September 22, 2026. Attorney General Niki Sharma stated that the case raises questions about the responsibilities of technology companies when they become aware of credible threats of serious violence. Families of the victims have also filed separate lawsuits against OpenAI.
Reports indicate that Jessie Van Rootselaar's ChatGPT activity was flagged by OpenAI's safety team for references to gun violence months before the shooting, which resulted in the deaths of eight individuals, including six children, in February. OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman previously apologized for not alerting law enforcement, expressing regret in an open letter to the victims' families.
Sharma noted that OpenAI has not taken sufficient steps to address the concerns of the survivors and the Tumbler Ridge community. She emphasized the need for the company to strengthen safeguards and improve transparency to help prevent similar incidents in the future. During a press conference, Sharma mentioned that the lawsuit was filed in California because the decision not to report the shooter's ChatGPT account occurred in that state. She also stated that any financial damages awarded to the province would be used to rebuild the secondary school affected by the shooting. OpenAI has not yet commented on the latest lawsuit, and Sharma indicated that the company has refused to disclose the contents of the chats in question.