TUMBLER RIDGE — British Columbia announced on July 7, 2026, that it is preparing to sue OpenAI. The province alleges OpenAI failed to alert police after its staff internally flagged violent ChatGPT conversations linked to the individual responsible for the February 2026 Tumbler Ridge mass shooting.

Attorney General Niki Sharma stated that the province has hired legal teams in British Columbia and California to pursue the lawsuit. "We have hired legal teams in British Columbia and California to explore all legal avenues to hold OpenAI and its decision-makers accountable for its documented failure to notify law enforcement regarding explicit, flagged threats made by the perpetrator on the company's ChatGPT platform," Sharma said.

Sharma's office stated that internal reports from OpenAI showed the company's safety teams flagged the shooter's violent prompts on ChatGPT months before the attack, but leadership did not notify police or local authorities. "When there are serious concerns that opportunities to prevent harm were missed, we have a responsibility to act," Sharma said.

The attack occurred on February 10, 2026, in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. Authorities reported that 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar killed their mother and half-brother before opening fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Five children, aged 11 to 13, and one educator were killed at the school. Twenty-seven other people were wounded in the attack, and Van Rootselaar died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Lawyers for the shooting victims stated that in June 2025, OpenAI flagged and banned the perpetrator's ChatGPT account due to disturbing content, which allegedly included discussions and planning of violent scenarios. These lawyers also stated that 12 different OpenAI employees implored the company to notify police about the shooter's plans, but no action was taken. OpenAI, which is based in San Francisco, told Canadian media in February that it had banned the account after it was flagged.

OpenAI stated it considered referring the account to law enforcement but decided against it, citing that the activity did not indicate an imminent and credible risk of serious physical harm to others. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman published an apology in the local newspaper, Tumbler RidgeLines. "I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement to the account that was banned in June," Altman said. He further stated, "While I know words can never be enough, I believe an apology is necessary to recognize the harm and irreversible loss your community has suffered."

Three months prior to the province's announcement, families of seven victims initiated a separate lawsuit in California against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman. That lawsuit was filed on behalf of five people killed and two injured in the shooting. The province's lawsuit is distinct from the victims' lawsuit.