OpenAI is facing a new wave of lawsuits following the February mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, which resulted in eight fatalities. On September 2, 2026, 30 new complaints were filed in a federal court in California, involving teachers and students who witnessed the shooting at the school where most of the incident occurred. These new cases join seven initial lawsuits filed in April.
The lawsuits allege that OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman, acted negligently and aided and abetted the mass shooting. The claims, brought by attorney Jay Edelson, assert that the company was aware of the intentions of the 18-year-old shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, who had discussed scenarios involving gun violence with OpenAI's chatbot, ChatGPT, but failed to report these concerns to law enforcement.
In a letter to the community in April, Altman expressed regret for not alerting authorities about the shooter. He stated, "While I know words can never be enough, I believe an apology is necessary to recognize the harm and irreversible loss your community has suffered."
According to authorities, Van Rootselaar killed her mother and half-brother before opening fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, resulting in the deaths of five children and one educator, with more than 25 others injured.
Among the new lawsuits is one filed on behalf of a 13-year-old identified as A C, who witnessed the shooting, and another by a grade seven teacher, Deidre Rushlow, who sheltered under her desk with students during the attack.
Jason Kwon, OpenAI’s head of strategy, stated in a post on X that the company is approaching the litigation with respect for the legal process and the victims' families.
Edelson has not responded to requests for comment from Al Jazeera. In July, British Columbia’s Attorney General Niki Sharma announced that the province would pursue legal avenues to hold OpenAI accountable for the shooting.
The company has faced multiple lawsuits alleging its product contributed to incidents where users harmed themselves or others, including a recent case in Florida related to a mass shooting at Florida State University in April 2025. Other complaints have been filed on behalf of victims in the US and Canada, claiming that users were encouraged by ChatGPT to take their own lives, including a case in Quebec earlier this year.