Altman apologizes after OpenAI failed to alert police before fatal Canada shooting

OpenAI didn’t alert law enforcement about the online behavior of a person who shot and killed eight people in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia.

— article

Jesse Van Rootselaar killed her mother and stepbrother at home before killing five children and an educator at a school.

— police

OpenAI banned Van Rootselaar’s account in June for violating its usage policy.

— OpenAI

Eby said it “looks like” OpenAI had the opportunity to prevent the mass shooting.

— David Eby

Eby called the apology “necessary, and yet grossly insufficient for the devastation done to the families of Tumbler Ridge”.

— David Eby

OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman has apologised to a Canadian town devastated by a February mass shooting.

OpenAI had banned an account linked to Jesse Van Rootselaar in June 2025.

The account was banned over concerns about usage linked to violent activity.

OpenAI said it did not tell the police because nothing pointed towards an imminent attack.

— OpenAI

Jesse Van Rootselaar killed eight people at her home and a school in Tumbler Ridge.