B.C. to pursue legal action against OpenAI over Tumbler Ridge mass shooting

The British Columbia government is preparing to pursue legal action against OpenAI over the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting, Attorney General Niki Sharma announced on Monday, escalating the province's response to one of the deadliest attacks in Canadian history.CTV News+1

Sharma is expected to provide details about the province's legal strategy on Tuesday, five months after 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar killed eight people at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School on February 10 before taking her own life. The province has been exploring its legal options since the shooting, with Sharma previously indicating the government was weighing whether to join existing lawsuits or launch its own action.cp24+3

A Pattern of Escalation

The announcement marks a shift from the province's earlier posture. In March, Sharma said it was "too early" to determine whether the government would pursue its own case against the AI company. By late April, she said the government was reaching out to lawyers involved in family-led lawsuits "to comprehend the claims and determine if we can offer any support."ctvnews+1

The families of victims have already filed seven lawsuits against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in federal court in San Francisco, alleging the company failed to notify law enforcement after the shooter's ChatGPT account was flagged by internal safety staff for "gun violence activity and planning" in June 2025. Court documents allege that approximately 12 OpenAI employees recommended alerting Canadian police, but company leadership overruled the safety team's recommendation.npr+2

OpenAI's Response

OpenAI has said it maintains a "zero tolerance" policy for using its tools to facilitate violence and that it has strengthened safeguards since the shooting. The company acknowledged that Van Rootselaar's account was suspended but said she circumvented the ban by creating a second account. CEO Sam Altman apologized to the community, saying he was "deeply sorry" the company did not alert law enforcement about the banned account.CBC+3

In June, Sharma criticized a proposed federal online safety bill for failing to include a mandatory reporting requirement for AI companies that encounter violent content — a provision the province had specifically requested in the wake of the Tumbler Ridge tragedy.CBC