OpenAI Identified Canadian School Shooter Months Ahead of Tragedy but Failed to Notify Authorities

OpenAI announced it had contemplated alerting Canadian police last year about Jesse Van Rootselaar, who later committed a devastating school shooting in British Columbia. The company detected Van Rootselaar’s account in June 2025 during its abuse detection efforts aimed at identifying users engaged in violent activities. Although OpenAI considered reporting the account to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, it deemed the activity insufficient for law enforcement referral, as it did not present an imminent or credible threat of serious harm. Tragically, Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old, went on to kill eight people at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School before taking his own life. Following the shooting, OpenAI contacted Canadian authorities to provide information regarding Van Rootselaar’s use of ChatGPT, emphasizing its commitment to supporting investigations into this tragic event. The Wall Street Journal was the first to report OpenAI’s disclosure about the situation.

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