News·Sep 22, 2026
British Columbia Sues OpenAI Over Role in Deadly School Shooting
The province alleges ChatGPT reinforced a shooter's violent ideation and that OpenAI failed to alert authorities despite an internal safety review.
British Columbia has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman over the company's alleged role in a mass shooting at a Canadian school, according to Business Insider.
The suit, filed in California by Deputy Premier and Attorney General Niki Sharma, alleges that conversations between the shooter and ChatGPT reinforced his violent ideation, and accuses OpenAI of distributing a dangerous product while allegedly ignoring warnings from its own safety team.
Sharma said OpenAI has confirmed that the conversation was alarming enough to trigger an internal review, but that the concern was reportedly never passed on to Canada's Royal Canadian Mounted Police and was ultimately dismissed.
According to the filing, the February 10 shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School killed five students and an education assistant and injured more than 25 others. The lawsuit seeks to recover costs, including those tied to rebuilding the demolished school.
From Rotation
Every story, one email, 8am daily.
Subscribe at the bottom of this page.