British Columbia files lawsuit against OpenAI following school shooting

<p>The families of victims killed in one of the deadliest mass shootings in Canada’s history have previously sued OpenAI over its failure to alert law enforcement about the shooter’s use of ChatGPT to plan the violence.</p><p>British Columbia has now filed a lawsuit, detailing the significant costs and impacts of the disaster response. The province argues that OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, owe more than just an apology to the remote mining community affected by the tragedy. They are seeking meaningful changes to prevent ChatGPT-assisted violence and financial support for Tumbler Ridge's rebuilding efforts.</p><p>In a complaint filed on September 21, 2026, British Columbia stated that Tumbler Ridge Secondary School had to be demolished after an 18-year-old shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, committed suicide there in February after killing five students and an education assistant. In total, eight lives were lost, as Van Rootselaar also shot their mother and half-brother prior to the school shooting.</p>