OpenAI faces new lawsuits over Tumbler Ridge mass shooting tragedy

What the report says

OpenAI is facing a new round of civil lawsuits tied to the February mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia, Canada, where eight people were killed. According to Al Jazeera, 30 additional complaints were filed on Wednesday in a U.S. federal court in California, adding to seven earlier cases submitted in April. The new filings include claims from teachers, students, survivors and witnesses connected to the school where most of the attack took place.

The lawsuits accuse OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman of negligence and of aiding and abetting the shooting. The plaintiffs, represented by lawyer Jay Edelson, allege the company was aware of the 18-year-old shooter’s violent intentions through interactions with ChatGPT but did not alert law enforcement. Al Jazeera reported that earlier this year Altman apologized in a letter to the community for not warning authorities.

Authorities say the shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, killed her mother and half-brother before opening fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Five children and one educator died there, and more than 25 others were wounded before the shooter died from what police described as a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

The case adds to broader legal pressure on OpenAI over claims that ChatGPT contributed to violent or self-harm incidents. In July, British Columbia’s attorney general said the province would pursue legal avenues to hold the company accountable, while separate lawsuits in the U.S. and Canada have raised similar allegations.