Canada · updated 1h ago · 3 min read
British Columbia Sues OpenAI And Sam Altman Over Tumbler Ridge School Shooting
British Columbia sued OpenAI in California over not reporting ChatGPT threats before Tumbler Ridge shooting. OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman named as defendants.
11 outlets told this the same way.
7 of 9 outlets skipped it: b.C. claims the school was demolished and replacement targeted for year-end..
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BC sues OpenAI
British Columbia sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in federal court in San Francisco, alleging the company failed to notify law enforcement of threats made on ChatGPT before the shooter opened fire at a school in Tumbler Ridge. 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". OpenAI had previously apologized to the families, and Sam Altman wrote in an open letter, "I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement," after the February 10, 2026 attack.
The lawsuit names Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, as the shooter, and it says the shooter 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. The lawsuit seeks financial compensation from OpenAI for past and future costs tied to emergency response and community recovery efforts, and it also seeks a court order forcing OpenAI to overhaul how it identifies and handles user conversations that threaten violence.
School demolition and claims
British Columbia argued that Tumbler Ridge Secondary School had to be demolished after the February shooting, and the province said about 160 students, teachers, and staff were trapped in classrooms and closets for hours. British Columbia said the community hopes to have a replacement school built at a new location by the end of this year, and it asked the court for injunctive relief requiring OpenAI to update ChatGPT to automatically terminate violent conversations. British Columbia also said OpenAI and Altman owe the community more than an apology, and the province argued they must make meaningful changes to end ChatGPT-assisted violence and then pay whatever it costs to help Tumbler Ridge rebuild, recover, and heal.
Niki Sharma told reporters that she had not read the contents of the OpenAI chats, and she said any financial damages won by the province would go towards rebuilding the secondary school. The BBC reported that Sharma said the lawsuit was filed in California because the alleged decision not to report the shooter's ChatGPT account occurred in that US state.
Accountability and safeguards
British Columbia’s lawsuit seeks accountability and a change in conduct, and it asks OpenAI to modify its safety protocols and pay financially for recovery after the tragedy at Tumbler Ridge School. British Columbia said the suit asks for damages including the demolition of the school and psychological care for the victims, and it also seeks "accountability for OpenAI and a change in its conduct," according to Niki Sharma. OpenAI’s Drew Pusateri called the Tumbler Ridge shooting an "unspeakable tragedy," and OpenAI said it remains committed to working collaboratively with government and law enforcement officials while continuing safety work.
The Guardian reported that the school where the shooting took place is in the process of being demolished, and it said the province has been forced to absorb the costs of a replacement school, mental health care and other effects. The Globe and Mail reported that British Columbia’s lawsuit says "one telephone call to the RCMP could have prevented the tragedy," and it described the province’s claim that OpenAI failed to warn police of concerning interactions between Jesse Van Rootselaar and ChatGPT.