OpenAI Faces Lawsuit Over School Shooting Data

Families of victims from a February school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, have filed lawsuits against artificial intelligence company OpenAI in a U.S. federal court, alleging the ChatGPT maker failed to alert police to the shooter's interactions with its chatbot. The lawsuits, initiated on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, claim OpenAI's negligence contributed to the deaths of five children and an educator, and critical injuries to others, in Canada's deadliest mass shooting in years.

The legal actions, including one on behalf of 12-year-old Maya Gebala, are among more than two dozen cases expected from the affected community. The lawsuits contend that OpenAI's automated systems flagged the attacker's conversations describing gun violence scenarios in June 2025, and internal safety teams recommended contacting police due to a credible threat.

However, OpenAI leadership reportedly overruled these recommendations, and law enforcement was not notified. The 18-year-old attacker subsequently created a new account after her initial one was deactivated and proceeded with the February 10 attack, which resulted in 7 fatalities and 25 injuries before she died by suicide.

OpenAI has acknowledged the tragedy and stated it has strengthened safeguards, including improving responses to distress signals and detection of potential threats. CEO Sam Altman formally apologized for not notifying law enforcement. The lawsuits seek unspecified damages and a court order for OpenAI to implement mandatory law enforcement referral protocols, representing a significant legal challenge to AI companies regarding their liability for user-generated content and potential for harm.