British Columbia Retains Counsel to Sue OpenAI Over Mass Shooting

The Government of British Columbia has retained legal counsel in Vancouver and California to pursue action against OpenAI following a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge on February 10, 2026. The attack, carried out by Jesse Van Rootselaar, left 27 people wounded and resulted in eight or nine deaths, including five students and an educator. Van Rootselaar killed her mother and brother at home before attacking the local secondary school and later dying by suicide.

Provincial authorities allege that OpenAI's safety teams flagged Van Rootselaar's violent prompts months before the incident and banned the account in June 2025. However, OpenAI did not notify the Royal Canadian Mounted Police or other authorities. OpenAI Vice-President of Global Policy Ann M. O’Leary stated the company did not identify credible and imminent planning that met the threshold for police referral.

Attorney General Niki Sharma announced the retention of Vancouver-based CFM Lawyers and California-based Stranch, Jennings and Garvey to determine if the company can be held liable in its home jurisdiction for international safety failures. This action is separate from lawsuits filed by victims' families in California, who allege OpenAI avoided reporting to prevent a precedent of disclosing thousands of similar cases. While CEO Sam Altman issued a public apology in April, the province intends to use any recovered funds to rebuild community infrastructure and construct a new school.