Survivors Sue OpenAI Over AI Account Before B.C. Shooting

Survivors of a February mass shooting in British Columbia have escalated their legal battle against OpenAI, filing 30 new lawsuits. These suits accuse the artificial intelligence company of negligence, claiming it should have alerted law enforcement after disabling the shooter's ChatGPT account in June 2025. This action came eight months prior to the attack that claimed multiple lives at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.

The legal filings assert that OpenAI's internal safety team identified concerns with the account, but the company's leadership allegedly overruled requests to notify the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. This decision, according to the lawsuits, prioritized the company's precedent over public safety. OpenAI's vice president of global policy stated in February that their systems did not detect "credible and imminent planning" requiring law enforcement referral at the time of the ban.

The victims' families initially filed seven lawsuits in April. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has since issued an apology to the community of Tumbler Ridge. The plaintiffs include educators, students, and family members directly impacted by the February tragedy. British Columbia's premier criticized OpenAI, stating the company cannot be trusted to self-regulate, especially after reportedly withdrawing from mediation processes.

OpenAI's chief strategy officer indicated the company is engaged in the litigation process in good faith. He emphasized the efforts made by their teams to establish standards for reporting potential violence while balancing user privacy. The company aims to identify warning signals responsibly, protecting the vast majority of its users. One plaintiff expressed a strong resolve for justice against those complicit in the shooting.