OpenAI Sued Over Mass Shooting, ChatGPT Link

0:00It's April 29th. You're listening to Canada News today, AI-powered local news. Family members of victims from one of Canada's worst mass shootings just filed lawsuits against open AI and its CEO, Sam Altman, in San Francisco, federal. Court. They claimed the company spotted the shooter as a real threat eight months before the attack through chat GPT chats, but never tipped off police. This stems from the February 10th tragedy in Tumblr Ridge, British Columbia, where nine people died, including several kids. The shooter, an 18-year-old named Jesse Van Rootselar, killed her mom, stepbrother, and educational assistant, and five students aged 12-2. 13-year-old old school, before taking her own life, plaintiffs say open AI systems flagged violent gun scenario talks in June 2025, but leaders overruled safety teams to avoid bad press. That could hurt their path to a trillion-dollar IPO. One AI called it a tragedy and stressed their zero tolerance for violence tools.

1:02They told Canadian officials they beefed up safeguards, like better threat detection, linking users to mental health help, and spotting repeat, violators. A spokesperson said they only alert cops for imminent risks, with experts weighing borderline cases. The lawyer repping the family's plans two dozen more suits soon for other shooting victims. This is the first U.S. case linking Chad GPT directly to a mass shooting, part of a bigger wave hitting AI firms over self-harm, illness, and violence. Tied to chats, one survivor, a 12-year-old girl shot three times, is still in intensive care. These early-stage cases will test if AI companies can be held liable for user actions or chat content. Open AI denies the claims, pointing to the shooter's mental health history, while places like Florida probe similar incidents. It's pushing the whole industry to rethink safety protocols for real-world fallout.