The Canadian province of British Columbia has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, in a US federal court, accusing the company of negligence and "aiding and abetting a mass shooting." The lawsuit stems from a February 10 attack in Tumbler Ridge where 18-year-old Jessie Van Rootselaar killed eight people, including six children and an educational assistant. The province alleges that OpenAI's internal safety team flagged Van Rootselaar's ChatGPT activity for references to gun violence months prior to the shooting but failed to notify local authorities, despite the shooter having a prior history with the RCMP regarding mental health concerns and firearm removal.
The lawsuit claims that a single phone call to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) could have prevented the tragedy. British Columbia is seeking to recover costs associated with the shooting, including the expense of rebuilding the local secondary school, which will be demolished due to the trauma. The province also seeks compensation for the significant mental health support provided to the community, with youth mental health teams delivering over 900 counselling sessions to more than 100 children and families, and Northern Health treating over 130 adults.
Attorney General Niki Sharma stated that the lawsuit aims to hold OpenAI accountable for designing a dangerous product and prioritizing corporate self-interest over public safety. While OpenAI had internally flagged and banned one of Van Rootselaar's accounts in 2025 for concerning activity, the lawsuit alleges the company deactivated rather than banned the account, allowing the shooter to continue interacting with ChatGPT through a second undetected account. The suit seeks a jury trial, compensation exceeding $75,000, punitive damages, and an order requiring OpenAI to implement safeguards that reliably refuse or de-escalate conversations involving threats of violence or requests for assistance with weapons.
