Families of victims of the February mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge sue OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging failures to report credible threats.

Family members of victims from the February mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, filed a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in a U.S. court, alleging negligence.
The suit claims the company had flagged the shooter’s alarming ChatGPT interactions as a credible threat months before the attack.

The incident left nine dead, including children, and injured 25 others.
According to the complaint, OpenAI’s automated systems identified conversations in June 2025 where the shooter discussed gun violence scenarios. Despite this flagging, Altman and OpenAI's leadership allegedly overruled safety team recommendations to contact law enforcement, leaving police uninformed of the potential threat.

In total, six wrongful death lawsuits have been filed, representing a community's effort to hold OpenAI accountable. One plaintiff, 12-year-old Maya Gebala, was critically injured in the shooting, as the families collectively seek unspecified damages and a court ruling to enforce stricter safety protocols.

An OpenAI spokesperson expressed sorrow over the tragedy, stating that the organization has a zero-tolerance policy against violence and has since strengthened safety measures, including enhancing how ChatGPT identifies signs of distress and evaluates threats. Additionally, CEO Altman apologized for not notifying authorities, reinforcing the need for improvements in the company's response to online threats.
The lawsuits reflect widespread concerns about AI's role in public safety and accountability for tragic outcomes involving its users.

Families of victims from the February mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, are suing OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, claiming the company failed to alert authorities, despite identifying the shooter as a credible threat eight months prior, resulting in nine fatalities and multiple injuries during the incident.