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TORONTO, ONTARIO – OpenAI, the creators behind ChatGPT, recently disclosed that they had contemplated notifying Canadian authorities about an individual whose actions would later culminate in one of the most tragic school shootings in the nation’s history.
Back in June of last year, OpenAI identified the account of Jesse Van Rootselaar through their abuse detection systems, suspecting involvement in promoting violent activities.
Based in San Francisco, the tech company deliberated on whether to alert the Royal Canadian Mounted Police about the account. However, at that time, OpenAI concluded that the activities observed did not meet the necessary criteria for a law enforcement referral. Consequently, in June 2025, the account was banned for violating OpenAI’s usage policy.
The grim reality unfolded when the 18-year-old Van Rootselaar tragically took the lives of eight individuals in a remote area of British Columbia last week, before succumbing to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
OpenAI has stated that their policy for involving law enforcement hinges on the presence of an imminent and credible threat of significant physical harm to others. In this case, the company did not find evidence of credible or immediate planning for such actions. The Wall Street Journal was the first to bring OpenAI’s internal deliberations to light.
OpenAI said that, after learning of the school shooting, employees reached out to the RCMP with information on the individual and their use of ChatGPT.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the Tumbler Ridge tragedy. We proactively reached out to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with information on the individual and their use of ChatGPT, and we’ll continue to support their investigation,” an OpenAI spokesperson said.
RCMP Staff Sgt. Kris Clark confirmed in an e-mailed statement Friday that OpenAI contacted police after the shootings.
Clark said a “thorough review of the content on electronic devices, as well as social media and online activities” of Van Rootselaar is taking place. He said “digital and physical evidence is being collected, prioritized, and methodically processed.”
The RCMP said Van Rootselaar first killed her mother and stepbrother at the family home before attacking the nearby school. Van Rootselaar had a history of mental health contacts with police.
The motive for the shooting remains unclear.
The town of 2,700 people in the Canadian Rockies is more than 1,000 kilometers (600 miles) northeast of Vancouver, near the provincial border with Alberta. Police said the victims included a 39-year-old teaching assistant and five students, ages 12 to 13.
The attack was Canada’s deadliest rampage since 2020, when a gunman in Nova Scotia killed 13 people and set fires that left another nine dead.
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