OpenAI is facing a new lawsuit from British Columbia over a school shooting that killed nine people, primarily children. The province claims the attack could have been prevented if OpenAI had alerted law enforcement about the shooter’s use of ChatGPT, reports Reuters. The lawsuit was filed in a federal court in San Francisco on Monday. It names OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman as defendants.
British Columbia is reportedly seeking damages for the costs linked to the attack. It is also asking the court to order changes to how OpenAI handles ChatGPT conversations that may indicate plans for violence.
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For context, the shooting happened at a school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, in February. Nine people were killed. The shooter, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, first shot her mother and stepbrother at home. She then went to her former school and killed an educational assistant and five students aged 12 to 13. Van Rootselaar later died by suicide.
According to the lawsuit, OpenAI’s safety team had flagged Van Rootselaar’s ChatGPT conversations in June 2025. The team reportedly recommended contacting police after identifying discussions related to gun violence. The lawsuit claims OpenAI leadership, including Altman, decided not to contact law enforcement.
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Altman had earlier addressed the Tumbler Ridge community and said he was “deeply sorry” that OpenAI had not contacted law enforcement. He also promised changes to OpenAI’s safety measures. The lawsuit claims those changes were not made despite efforts by British Columbia’s attorney general to work with the company.
The shooting has also left British Columbia with major recovery costs. The school is being demolished, while the province is paying for a replacement school, mental health care and other related expenses.
The lawsuit comes after more than 30 family members of victims and others affected by the attack filed separate cases in California. They have also accused OpenAI of failing to act on warning signs that could have helped prevent the shooting.