The Canadian province of British Columbia has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging the company failed to alert authorities about concerning ChatGPT conversations involving the teenager who later carried out a deadly mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge.
The lawsuit, filed Monday in the US District Court for the Northern District of California, names OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman as defendants. The province is seeking compensation for costs arising from the February 10 attack as well as an order requiring changes to how the company identifies and responds to potential threats of violence.
Eight victims were killed in the attack, described by the provincial government as Canada’s deadliest school shooting since 1989.
According to the lawsuit, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar killed her mother and stepbrother at their home before attacking Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where an educational assistant and five children were killed. More than two dozen other people were injured. Van Rootselaar later died by suicide.
The province alleges that OpenAI’s safety team had flagged Van Rootselaar’s conversations about gun violence months before the shooting but did not contact police or local authorities.
According to the lawsuit, OpenAI deactivated her account, but she subsequently created another account and continued using the service.
British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma said the case raises broader questions about the responsibilities of technology companies when they become aware of what may be credible threats of serious violence.
“The people of Tumbler Ridge have endured an unimaginable loss, and they deserve answers and accountability,” Sharma said.
She alleged that OpenAI had not taken “meaningful steps” to address concerns raised by survivors, victims’ families and the wider community.
“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,” Sharma added.
Altman apologised in April, saying he was “deeply sorry” that OpenAI had not contacted law enforcement and pledged changes to the company’s safety practices.
The provincial government’s lawsuit follows more than 30 cases filed by victims’ families, survivors and others affected by the shooting.
The allegations against OpenAI have been made in court proceedings and have not, based on the information provided, been established by a judicial ruling.