Seven Families Sue OpenAI, CEO Sam Altman Over Tumbler Ridge Mass Shooting
Seven families of victims killed or injured in the February mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, have launched legal action against OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman. The lawsuits, filed in a California court, accuse the company and its leadership of negligence and of aiding and abetting the attack.
The legal filings assert that OpenAI had specific knowledge of the shooter's intentions, citing internal flags raised by its safety team regarding the individual's ChatGPT activity months prior to the incident. These alerts reportedly referenced gun violence scenarios, with recommendations from the safety team to inform the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). However, it is alleged that OpenAI's executive leadership, including Altman, vetoed this decision, prioritising the company's valuation and reputation over public safety.
Eight people died in the 10 February attack, including six children, when 18-year-old Jessie Van Rootselaar opened fire at a secondary school before dying from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
One lawsuit, brought by 12-year-old Maya Gebala, who remains hospitalised after being shot three times, explicitly states that OpenAI “had actual knowledge” of the shooter’s plans. The legal team, led by Jay Edelson, anticipates filing more than two dozen lawsuits on behalf of victims and community members, seeking jury trials in each case.
In response, Altman issued an apology last week, stating, “I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement.” OpenAI has also claimed to have “strengthened our safeguards” and published a blog detailing its response protocols for dangerous user behaviour. However, the lawsuits further allege that OpenAI misled the public by claiming the suspect was banned, arguing that the company's systems allowed the individual to create new accounts and continue planning the attack.
This legal challenge replaces a previous Canadian lawsuit filed by Gebala’s family, which is being withdrawn. OpenAI is also facing a criminal investigation in Florida concerning another shooting where ChatGPT was allegedly used by the perpetrator.