OpenAI Faces Scrutiny After Tumbler Ridge Shooting

British Columbia Premier David Eby has sharply criticized OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, following revelations that the perpetrator of the Tumbler Ridge shooting was banned from the platform months before the tragedy. Eby is calling for national standards requiring AI companies to report potential threats to authorities, raising concerns about the role of artificial intelligence in preventing violent acts.

The Tumbler Ridge Shooting and OpenAI’s Response

On February 10, 2026, Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, committed a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, resulting in the deaths of nine people – her mother, half-brother, five school pupils, and a teacher’s aide – before taking her own life. Prior to the shooting, OpenAI had banned Van Rootselaar from ChatGPT for querying violent activities, reportedly in June 2025. However, the company did not alert law enforcement, stating that the activity did not meet its threshold for “imminent and credible risk of serious physical harm to others.”

Eby’s Call for National Standards

Premier Eby expressed his anger and frustration with OpenAI’s decision, stating, “From the outside, it looks like OpenAI had the opportunity to prevent this tragedy, to prevent this horrific loss of life, to prevent there from being dead children in British Columbia.” He has urged the federal government to establish a national standard for when AI companies are obligated to report users plotting violence on their platforms. Eby also indicated that there would be a public accounting from the company to explain its reasoning for delaying notification to police until after the killings.

Federal Government Response

Federal Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon has summoned OpenAI to Ottawa to discuss safety concerns. Solomon stated he was deeply disturbed by the reports and arranged a meeting with OpenAI’s “senior safety team” on Tuesday, February 24, 2026.

Shift in B.C.’s Regulatory Approach

Interestingly, despite criticizing OpenAI, Premier Eby has decided not to revive British Columbia’s Bill 12, a previously drafted law intended to allow the province to sue tech platforms for online harms. Eby now believes that regulating online harms is primarily the responsibility of the federal government. He emphasized the need for consistent reporting thresholds across the country.

The Need for Clear Guidelines

Sébastien Gambs, a professor in the computer science department of UQAM and holder of the Canada Research Chair in privacy-friendly and ethical analysis of big data, underscored the importance of establishing clear guidelines. He stated the need to avoid a situation where each platform operates under its own rules.

The Tumbler Ridge shooting has ignited a critical debate about the responsibilities of AI companies in preventing real-world violence and the necessity for clear, enforceable regulations.