OpenAI Faces Lawsuits After Ignoring AI Chatbot Warnings of School Shooter

Seven families—described by their lawyers as the first wave of dozens—have filed lawsuits against OpenAI, accusing the company of failing to act on warnings about a potential school shooter despite having advance knowledge of his violent interactions with ChatGPT.

The lawsuits also allege that OpenAI misled the public about its efforts to prevent the shooter from using ChatGPT to discuss mass violence.

Tragedy in Tumbler Ridge

On February 3, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar killed her mother and younger stepbrother before traveling to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in British Columbia. There, she opened fire using a modified rifle, murdering five students aged 12 to 13 and a 39-year-old teacher. Twenty-seven others were wounded, some severely. Several parents were forced to identify their children by clothing due to the extreme nature of the injuries. Van Rootselaar died by suicide after the attack.

Like millions of others, Van Rootselaar was a ChatGPT user. In late February, a Wall Street Journal report revealed that OpenAI’s automated moderation tools had flagged her account in June 2025 for graphic discussions of mass violence. Human reviewers deemed the content a credible imminent threat and urged executives to warn Canadian law enforcement. After internal debate involving about a dozen staffers, OpenAI chose not to report the threats and instead deactivated Van Rootselaar’s account.

Lawsuits Allege Corporate Negligence and Profit-Driven Decisions

The lawsuits, filed in California, describe ChatGPT as a “co-conspirator” in the massacre. They argue that had OpenAI alerted authorities, officials could have intervened before the attack. The plaintiffs claim OpenAI’s inaction was a business decision driven by concerns over future liability and its ongoing push toward an IPO.

The families of all six victims are among the plaintiffs:

• 13-year-old Ezekiel Schofield
• 12-year-old Zoey Benoit
• 12-year-old Ticaria “Tiki” Lampert
• 12-year-old Abel Mwansa Jr.
• 12-year-old Kylie Smith
• 39-year-old education assistant Shannda Aviugana-Durand

Additionally, the family of Maya Gebala, a 12-year-old who survived being shot three times in the head and neck, is also a plaintiff. Gebala suffered “catastrophic” brain injuries and remains in critical condition. (Her family had previously filed a lawsuit in Canada in March; this new suit supersedes that filing.)

Demands for Accountability

“OpenAI is being sued for designing a dangerous product, ignoring the warnings of their own safety team, refusing to notify authorities when they knew the Shooter was planning a mass attack, inviting them back onto the platform after deactivating their account, and choosing profit over the lives of the children of Tumbler Ridge.”

OpenAI confirmed in February that Van Rootselaar’s account had been flagged by its moderation tools.