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BC to pursue legal action against OpenAI
Trisha Matabalan, Philippine Canadian Inquirer
July 8, 2026
(Screengrab from ChatGPT)
CANADA – The Province of British Columbia announced their intention to pursue legal action against OpenAI for its failure to report local law enforcement of Rootselaar’s ChatGPT usage prior to the attack.
On February 10, 2026, a tragic mass shooting incident on Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, left nine dead and twenty-seven injured. Rootselaar reportedly shot her mother and half-brother before she proceeded to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where she opened fire on campus grounds and then fatally shot herself after authorities arrived at the premises.
On June 2025, OpenAI reportedly banned a ChatGPT account belonging to Rootselaar due to the violent nature of her queries, but did not report the incident to the authorities.
In a public letter addressed to the Tumbler Ridge community on April 23, 2026, the CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, apologized for this: “I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement to the account that was banned in June. 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. I reaffirm the commitment I made to the Mayor and the Premier to find ways to prevent tragedies like this in the future.”
Attorney Niki Sharma announced that this step will be to ensure that OpenAI and its decision makers are made accountable after this failure to report the incident has put public safety at stake. Further, the Province promised to commit to support the victims’ families and to provide avenues of recovery towards the community.
