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British Columbia sues OpenAI over Tumbler Ridge shooting
The British Columbia government has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in a U.S. district court in San Francisco, seeking accountability for its alleged role in a February 2026 mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge. The province alleges that OpenAI failed to report alarming interactions between the shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, and its ChatGPT chatbot. Attorney General Niki Sharma stated that the company's failure to alert law enforcement could have prevented the tragedy, which left eight people dead.
The lawsuit names OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman as defendants, accusing them of negligence, aiding and abetting the shooting, and providing a defective, unsafe product. British Columbia is seeking damages to cover the costs of building a new secondary school in the community, as well as injunctive relief to prevent future incidents.
This legal action follows 37 previous claims filed by victims' families, students, and educators against OpenAI and Altman. While OpenAI has expressed condolences and previously apologized for not alerting law enforcement to the account that was later banned, the company has moved to dismiss existing family lawsuits, arguing they should be heard in Canada rather than California.
Entities
British Columbia · Niki Sharma · OpenAI · Sam Altman · Tumbler Ridge
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] OpenAI has expressed that the shooting was an 'unspeakable tragedy' and stated it is committed to working with law enforcement. www.iphoneincanada.ca
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The province filed the lawsuit in California because the alleged failure to report occurred there. www.jamaicaobserver.com
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Sam Altman is named as an individual defendant in the lawsuit filed in California. kitchener.citynews.ca
- [DISPUTED] There are currently 37 claims filed against OpenAI and Sam Altman related to the shooting. www.iphoneincanada.ca · globalnews.ca
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The lawsuit alleges OpenAI failed to warn police about alarming interactions between the shooter and ChatGPT. kitchener.citynews.ca
- [● 2 SOURCES] The province is seeking reimbursement for the costs of building a new secondary school in Tumbler Ridge. kitchener.citynews.ca · www.jamaicaobserver.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] British Columbia has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI in a U.S. district court in San Francisco. www.iphoneincanada.ca · kitchener.citynews.ca · www.jamaicaobserver.com
- [● 3 SOURCES] The February 10, 2026, shooting in Tumbler Ridge resulted in eight deaths. www.iphoneincanada.ca · kitchener.citynews.ca · globalnews.ca