Families affected by a deadly school shooting in Canada have launched lawsuits against OpenAI and chief executive Sam Altman, alleging the company failed to warn authorities after identifying troubling conversations between the gunman and ChatGPT.
The legal action follows the February attack at a secondary school in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, where 18-year-old Jessie Van Rootselaar killed eight people, including six children, before taking his own life.
According to the lawsuits, OpenAI’s safety team flagged discussions involving gun violence months before the shooting and recommended contacting Canadian police. The filings claim senior leadership rejected that advice over concerns about the company’s reputation and valuation.
One of the lawsuits was filed on behalf of survivor Maya Gebala, 12, who remains in hospital after being shot in the head, neck and cheek during the attack.
OpenAI denied assisting violent acts and said it has since strengthened safeguards, including improved systems for escalating potential threats.
