OpenAI faces new lawsuits linked to shooting at Canadian school

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomeInformation TechnologyNewsOpenAI faces new lawsuits linked to shooting at Canadian schoolThe suits allege the company prioritized its reputation over the safety threat posed by the chatbot conversationsAuthor of the article:Rachel Metz and Madlin MekelburgOpenAI and other chatbot makers have faced a stream of litigation related to its users committing crimes or alleging that use of the technology has inflicted a range of harms. Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty ImagesOpenAI was hit with multiple lawsuits claiming the artificial intelligence company could have prevented a mass shooting in Canada earlier this year by informing law enforcement about the suspected killer’s messages with the popular chatbot ChatGPT.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountThe complaints were filed Wednesday in federal court in California by teachers, students and a principal who were present during the February massacre at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. They alleged OpenAI knew that Jesse Van Rootselaar, the chief suspect, was planning the attack due to her use of ChatGPT, but made a “conscious decision” not to warn authorities.“This is not someone typing into Google ‘Where can I buy a gun?’” said Jay Edelson, an attorney for the plaintiffs in the cases. “This is technology where the chatbot is helping plan murders.”Breaking business news, incisive views, must-reads and market signals. Weekdays by 9 a.m.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Posthaste will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe lawsuits aren’t the first against OpenAI tied to the shooting. In April, seven cases were filed by other family members and victims, including the mother of a girl killed in the shooting and a 12-year-old student who was shot. Those cases are ongoing.Jason Kwon, OpenAI’s chief strategy officer, said in a statement Wednesday that it’s “completely untrue to say that the people at the centre of these challenging decisions do not prioritize safety.”“There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about what happened at Tumbler Ridge, or the victims of this devastating tragedy and their families,” Kwon said in a statement. “It’s a constant and sobering reminder of the important and incredibly difficult work that many people in my team do each and every day.”Chief executive Sam Altman, who is a defendant in the lawsuits, wrote a public letter to the Tumbler Ridge community apologizing for failing to report the suspect’s account to law enforcement.OpenAI and other chatbot makers have faced a stream of litigation since 2024 related to its users committing crimes or alleging that extensive use of the technology has inflicted a range of harms on children and adults alike. In some cases, the chatbots have been accused of fostering delusions and despair for some and leading others to suicide and even murder-suicide.In the Tumbler Ridge cases, the lawsuits claim OpenAI’s automated system flagged the account used by Van Rootselaar, 18, for “gun violence activity and attack planning” roughly eight months prior to the shooting. An internal safety team at the company reviewed the issue and recommended referring the chat logs to law enforcement.In June 2025, leaders at the company vetoed the recommendation and deactivated Van Rootselaar’s account, according to the complaints. Despite the deactivation, she was able to register for a new account. The decision about whether to alert law enforcement was in the hands of OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer Chris Lehane, the suits claim.Kwon defended Lehane, saying “it is absolutely false to say Chris Lehane was involved with our original referral decision, or that our investigators report to him in any way.”This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.The suits allege the company prioritized its reputation over the safety threat posed by the conversations Van Rootselaar had with ChatGPT.“The risk of real-world deaths never factored into the calculation — or if it did, it was treated as an acceptable cost of protecting the corporate brand,” the lawsuits say.On the day of the attack, Van Rootselaar allegedly shot and killed her mother and stepbrother at home and then went to the Tumbler Ridge campus and killed six other people, five of whom were children. She was found dead after the shooting from what appeared to be a self-inflicted wound.—With assistance from Erik Larson.We apologize, but this video has failed to load.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.