Canada's artificial intelligence minister has summoned representatives from OpenAI after the company suspended the account of a user who later carried out a school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, but did not alert law enforcement. The company had suspended the account of 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar in June 2025 over the 'furtherance of violent activities,' but did not contact Canadian police.
On 10 February, Van Rootselaar killed eight people, including five students aged 12 to 13, a teaching assistant, and her mother and half-brother at their home. The shooter had described violent scenarios involving guns to ChatGPT over several days in June, which an automated review system flagged. OpenAI stated it did not identify 'credible or imminent planning' and banned the account without notifying authorities.
Minister Evan Solomon expressed being 'deeply disturbed' by the reports and arranged a meeting with OpenAI's top safety representatives for Tuesday. 'We will have a sit-down meeting to have an explanation of their safety protocols and when they escalate and their thresholds of escalation to police,' he said.
After the shooting, OpenAI employees reached out to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) with information on the individual. However, British Columbia's government confirmed that in a pre-planned meeting the day after the shooting, OpenAI did not disclose it had suspended the shooter's account months earlier. The company only contacted the province two days later for help reaching the RCMP.
Premier David Eby called the revelations 'profoundly disturbing' for the victims' families and all British Columbians. The incident has intensified debate in Canada over regulating AI chatbots, particularly regarding minors' access.
