The Canadian province of British Columbia is launching legal action against OpenAI for not reporting threats detected on the ChatGPT platform before the mass shooting at a school in Tumbler Ridge in February to law enforcement.
Provincial Attorney General Niki Sharma announced on Tuesday, July 7, that the Vancouver-based CFM Lawyers and California-based Stranch, Jennings & Garvey law firms had been tasked with exploring all legal avenues to hold OpenAI and its decision-makers accountable.
On February 10, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar killed his mother and 11-year-old step-sibling at their family home, then drove to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and opened fire. The attack killed five students and one teacher's aide and wounded 27 others. The attacker later died by suicide. The victims included children aged 12 and 13.
According to the Attorney General's statement, eight months before the attack, OpenAI employees flagged the perpetrator's ChatGPT account, determining it posed a credible threat of gun violence, and strongly recommended to senior management that Canadian authorities be notified. However, the company's management did not inform the police or local officials.
Sharma said, "Our thoughts remain with the families who lost loved ones, the injured, and the entire Tumbler Ridge community. As the community continues to heal, our government is focused on supporting victims and holding those responsible accountable. When there are serious concerns that opportunities to prevent harm were missed, we have an obligation to act. We must do this for the victims, their families, and everyone whose life was changed by this tragedy."
Sharma also stated, "British Columbia has never hesitated to confront powerful corporations when their actions harm people and communities. We are taking this step due to serious concerns about OpenAI's failure to notify law enforcement after threats were detected on its platform. When public safety is at stake, no company or executive should be overlooked."
Provincial officials stated that their lawsuit will proceed separately and independently from the cases filed by some victims' families against OpenAI in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
