B.C. Premier Calls on OpenAI to Explain Why Police Weren’t Alerted Before Tumbler Ridge Tragedy
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B.C. Premier David Eby is calling on OpenAI to explain why authorities were not alerted about violent online activity linked to Tumbler Ridge mass shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar prior to the Feb. 10 killings.
The Wall Street Journal first reported that OpenAI staff had internally raised concerns about the teenager’s ChatGPT activity months before the shooting and that the account had been banned in June 2025 for what the company described as “misuses of our models in furtherance of violent activities.” OpenAI confirmed to CBC News that it did not contact police before the attack, stating the activity did not meet its threshold for reporting to law enforcement. The company says it reached out to RCMP immediately after the shooter’s identity was made public.
“From the outside, it looks like OpenAI had the opportunity to prevent this tragedy,” Eby said Monday. “I’m angry about that. I’m trying hard not to rush to judgment, but I’m trying to figure out how it could be possible that this information was raised internally and police were not called.”
OpenAI representatives met with B.C. Minister of State for AI Rick Glumac on Feb. 10, the same day RCMP say Van Rootselaar killed six children and two adults at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and at their home before taking their own life. The following day, after police publicly identified the shooter, OpenAI contacted law enforcement.
Eby said if the company does not voluntarily provide full details to the public, British Columbians may learn the information through a coroner’s inquest or public inquiry. He also urged the federal government to create national standards requiring AI companies to report users who appear to be plotting violence.
Federal AI Minister Evan Solomon is set to meet with OpenAI’s senior safety team in Ottawa and said “all options are on the table” regarding potential legislation.
Experts say regulating AI moderation presents significant challenges. Vered Shwartz, an assistant professor of computer science at UBC, noted that automated systems can wrongly flag users, but said regulation should be part of the broader solution.
The investigation into the Feb. 10 mass shooting remains ongoing.
The timeline of the Tumbler Ridge Shooting was discussed in this Canadian Gothic episode.
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