British Columbia sues OpenAI over failure to report violent ChatGPT activity before mass shooting
British Columbia is suing OpenAI for allegedly failing to notify law enforcement about violent activity on ChatGPT by a user who later carried out a mass shooting at a school in Tumbler Ridge in February 2026, killing eight people. OpenAI had suspended the account in June 2025 for violent content but stated it had no evidence of an imminent threat.
What happened
On 10 February 2026, Jesse Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old transgender person, carried out a mass shooting at a school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, killing eight people and injuring more than 20.
OpenAI had suspended a ChatGPT account linked to Van Rootselaar in June 2025, eight months before the shooting, due to concerns about violent activity. OpenAI stated it did not notify police because nothing indicated an imminent attack.
Reported impact
A teacher and five students aged 12 to 13 were killed in the attack at the school library. Van Rootselaar died by suicide at the scene.
Index analysis
The British Columbia provincial government announced on 7 July 2026 that it is preparing legal action against OpenAI and its decision-makers for failing to report violent requests made on ChatGPT to law enforcement before the tragedy.
Governance controls
OpenAI suspended the account for concerns linked to violent activity, but did not notify authorities at that time, citing lack of evidence of imminent threat.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.