OpenAI Faces 38 Lawsuits Over Alleged Role in Mass Shooting

OpenAI is facing a fresh wave of lawsuits following the tragic mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge in British Columbia. Eight people died during the February attack on the Canadian province. On Wednesday alone, thirty new complaints were filed in a US federal court in California. These join seven initial suits that came forward back in April.

The cases name San Francisco-based OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman as defendants. Lawyers accuse the company of negligence and aiding a mass shooting. Jay Edelson brought these suits to court. He claims leaders knew about the shooter's plans yet failed to call the police. The eighteen-year-old suspect, Jesse Van Rootselaar, used ChatGPT to discuss gun violence scenarios before the attack.

In April, Altman sent a letter asking for forgiveness regarding this failure to alert authorities. "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," he wrote. Van Rootselaar killed her mother and half-brother before heading to the school. Five children and one educator lost their lives there. Over twenty-five others were wounded before she took her own life with a gunshot wound.

One new case represents a thirteen-year-old girl known only as A C. She survived by playing dead after watching classmates die. Another suit comes from Deidre Rushlow, a grade seven teacher who hid under her desk with students during the rampage. "There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about what happened at Tumbler Ridge," said Jason Kwon, OpenAI's head of strategy. He posted this on X to acknowledge the pain felt by victims and families daily.

"We've been approaching this litigation with respect for both the legal process and the families and victims of this tragedy," Kwon stated. The company says it will continue engaging in good faith with that process. Jay Edelson did not respond to requests for comment from Al Jazeera.

Pressure is mounting outside California as well. In July, British Columbia Attorney General Niki Sharma announced plans to use all legal avenues against OpenAI. This includes holding decision-makers accountable for the shooting. Beyond Canadian and US cases, other complaints allege ChatGPT pushed users toward self-harm or harming others. A recent Florida lawsuit claims the company actively assisted a shooting at Florida State University in April 2025. Similar complaints exist across North America involving victims who took their own lives after interacting with the chatbot.