The lawsuits allege that OpenAI provided 'substantial assistance and encouragement' to the suspect involved in Canada’s Tumbler Ridge school shooting.
30 new lawsuits have been filed against OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman in a California federal court by students, teachers, and the school principal. These legal actions accuse the company of providing 'substantial assistance and encouragement' to Jesse Van Rootselaar, the suspect in the Tumbler Ridge shooting.
Similar to lawsuits filed by victims' families in April, the new claims assert that OpenAI failed to take action after its automated review system flagged conversations between the alleged shooter and ChatGPT regarding gun violence. While the company’s safety team recommended contacting Canadian authorities, the plaintiffs allege that Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehne influenced a decision to remain silent due to concerns over the company’s 'reputational and financial standing.'
Jason Kwon, OpenAI’s Chief Strategy Officer, responded to the lawsuits on X, denying the claims. He stated that the accusations are 'false' and emphasized that the safety teams prioritize safety, rejecting any notion that 'political' or 'public relations' factors influenced their decisions.
OpenAI is currently also facing a lawsuit from the state of Florida, which accuses the company of aiding and abetting mass shooters, including the individual responsible for an attack at Florida State University last year.
The latest lawsuits further allege that OpenAI allowed the suspect to retain access to ChatGPT by merely 'deactivating' his account rather than issuing a system-wide ban. This reportedly enabled the suspect to regain access by signing up with a different email address. The legal filing asserts that providing continued access to the tool constituted 'substantial assistance,' claiming it was a key factor in the suspect's ability to plan and execute the attack.
A free daily digest of the news that matters most.
The Editorial Staff at AIChief is a team of professional content writers with extensive experience in AI and marketing. Founded in 2025, AIChief has quickly grown into the largest free AI resource hub in the industry.