British Columbia sues OpenAI over alleged failure to warn authorities before Tumbler Ridge shooting

The Canadian province of British Columbia has sued OpenAI in a US federal court, alleging that the company failed to notify authorities about concerning interactions on ChatGPT before the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting. The lawsuit was filed on Monday and comes after OpenAI previously apologised for not alerting law enforcement about the ChatGPT account of Jessie Van Rootselaar before the 18-year-old killed eight people, including six children, in February 2026.

British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma said the case raises important questions about the responsibilities of technology companies when they become aware of credible threats of serious violence. Families of people killed or injured in the shooting have also filed separate lawsuits against OpenAI. Media reports previously revealed that OpenAI's safety team had flagged Van Rootselaar's ChatGPT activity months before the attack because of references to gun violence. However, the company did not alert local authorities at the time.

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In April, OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman apologised to the victims' families. "I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement," Altman wrote in an open letter. "To date, OpenAI has not taken meaningful steps to address the concerns raised by survivors, families and the Tumbler Ridge community," Sharma said in a statement. "The company still has an opportunity to demonstrate accountability by strengthening safeguards, improving transparency and taking concrete action to help prevent similar tragedies in the future."

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Sharma said she had not reviewed the contents of the OpenAI chats. "We have asked OpenAI to disclose these chats. They have refused. We should all be asking them: Why?" she said, according to CBC. Sharma said the lawsuit was filed in California because the alleged decision not to report the shooter's ChatGPT account took place in the state, according to news agency AFP. She also told reporters that any financial damages awarded to the province would be used to help rebuild the secondary school.