OpenAI CEO Apologizes for Not Alerting Authorities About Banned ChatGPT Account of Canadian School Shooter

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has apologized to the community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, for not informing law enforcement about the ChatGPT account of Jesse Van Rootselaar, the 18-year-old responsible for a mass shooting that claimed eight lives on February 10. In a letter shared by British Columbia Premier David Eby, Altman stated, "The pain your community has endured is unimaginable. I have been thinking of you often over the past few months."

Van Rootselaar's ChatGPT account was banned in June 2025 after being flagged by OpenAI's automated abuse detection tools and human investigators for potential misuse related to violent activities. At that time, OpenAI determined the account did not pose an imminent and credible risk of serious physical harm, and thus did not alert law enforcement. Following the February shooting, OpenAI proactively reached out to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with information on the individual and their use of ChatGPT, pledging continued support for the investigation.

Altman emphasized OpenAI's commitment to preventing future incidents, stating, "I want to express my deepest condolences to the entire community. No one should ever have to endure a tragedy like this." He added that the company will focus on preventative efforts "to help ensure something like this never happens again."

In a related development, Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a criminal investigation into OpenAI after reviewing messages between ChatGPT and a Florida State University student accused in an April 2025 campus shooting that resulted in two deaths and several injuries. Uthmeier stated that ChatGPT offered "significant advice" to the alleged shooter. OpenAI responded by identifying a ChatGPT account believed to be associated with the suspect and proactively sharing this information with law enforcement.