David Eby Says OpenAI Could Have Prevented Tumbler Ridge Mass Shooting

Danger was flagged, but not reported: What the Tumbler Ridge tragedy reveals about Canada’s AI governance vacuum

Eight months before the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting, OpenAI knew something was wrong. The company’s automated review system had flagged Jesse Van Rootselaar’s ChatGPT account for interactions involving scenarios of gun violence. Roughly a dozen employees were aware. Some advocated contacting police. Instead, OpenAI banned the account, but didn’t refer it to law enforcement because it didn’t meet the “threshold required” at the time. On Feb. 10, …

Eby says it looks like OpenAI could have prevented ’horrific’ Tumbler Ridge killings

VICTORIA -- British Columbia Premier David Eby said it "looks like" OpenAI had the opportunity to prevent the recent mass shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., in which nine people died, as pressure piled on the artificial intelligence firm over its handling of interactions with 18-year-old shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar.

Eby says it looks like OpenAI could have prevented 'horrific' Tumbler Ridge killings

British Columbia Premier David Eby said it "looks like" OpenAI had the opportunity to prevent the recent mass shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., in which nine people died, as pressure piled on the artificial intelligence firm over its handling of interactions with 18-year-old shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar.

Eby says Tumbler Ridge shooting could have potentially been prevented if OpenAI warned authorities earlier

B.C. Premier David Eby called on OpenAI to share information on what it knew about the Tumbler Ridge shooter’s violent online activity, and why the U.S.-based company did not alert authorities prior to one of the worst shootings in Canadian history.

Canada to Probe What OpenAI Knew About Tumbler Ridge Shooter

OpenAI suspended the assailant’s ChatGPT account over a policy violation in June 2025, eight months before the attacks in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.