Families of Tumbler Ridge Shooting Victims Sue OpenAI Over ChatGPT's Role

Families of victims from the February 10 school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, have filed lawsuits against OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT, alleging negligence and product liability. The suits claim that OpenAI failed to alert authorities about the shooter's alarming interactions with the chatbot months before the attack.

The shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, killed eight people, including five students and a teacher, before taking her own life. Prior to the school attack, she also killed her mother and 11-year-old half-brother at their home. The lawsuits allege that Van Rootselaar engaged with ChatGPT in conversations about gun violence and planning, leading OpenAI to ban her account in June 2025. However, the company did not report these interactions to law enforcement, and Van Rootselaar was able to create a new account to continue her activities.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman issued a public apology, stating, "I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement to the account that was banned in June." He pledged to work with all levels of government to prevent similar incidents in the future. OpenAI has since stated that it has strengthened its safeguards, including improving how ChatGPT responds to signs of distress and connecting users with local support and mental health resources.

The lawsuits, filed in U.S. federal court, seek damages and policy reforms to prevent future tragedies. They represent a growing trend of legal actions aiming to hold technology companies accountable for the design and oversight of their products.