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British Columbia has sued California-based OpenAI, alleging that the company failed to notify law enforcement about threats made on its "ChatGPT" platform before a shooter killed eight people in Tumbler Ridge.
The lawsuit, filed on Monday in federal court in San Francisco, names OpenAI and its chief executive, Sam Altman, as defendants, according to Al Jazeera.
The provincial government is seeking financial compensation for past and future emergency-response and community-recovery costs. It is also asking the court to order OpenAI to overhaul how it detects and handles conversations involving threats of violence.
What happened in Tumbler Ridge
The attack took place on February 10, 2026, in the small British Columbia town and was described by officials as one of Canada's worst mass shootings.
The shooter, 18-year-old former student Jesse Van Rootselaar, killed her mother and half-brother at their home before going to a secondary school. Five children and an educator were killed at the school, while Van Rootselaar died by suicide at the scene.
OpenAI's safety team had reportedly flagged Van Rootselaar's conversations about gun violence. However, the company did not alert police, according to the lawsuit.
Province seeks accountability
British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma said residents of Tumbler Ridge deserved answers and accountability.
“This action is an important step toward seeking justice for the families, students, educators and community members whose lives were forever changed,” Sharma said.
She said the case raised serious questions about the responsibilities of technology companies when they become aware of credible threats of violence, adding that it demonstrated the need for stronger national safeguards for artificial intelligence systems and online platforms.
Altman said in a letter to the community in April that he was “deeply sorry” OpenAI had not contacted law enforcement. He promised reforms, but the lawsuit alleges that he did not follow through despite efforts by the province's attorney general to engage with the company.
The case follows more than 30 lawsuits filed in the same California federal court by victims' families, survivors and others affected by the shooting. Those lawsuits accuse OpenAI of negligence for failing to intervene and alert authorities.
