By Paul Vieira
OTTAWA--The mother of a girl injured after a fatal school shooting last month in Canada launched a lawsuit against OpenAI for its decision not to inform police of the suspect's interactions with its ChatGPT chatbot.
The notice of civil claim is filed in the Supreme Court of British Columbia, Canada's western-most province and home to the remote town of Tumbler Ridge -- where eight people were killed and dozens injured in the country's worst school shooting in decades. Among the wounded was Maya Gebala, who sustained a traumatic brain injury and permanent cognitive and physical disabilities after struck by bullets above her left eye and neck, according to the claim, filed by lawyers in Vancouver, British Columbia on behalf of Cia Edmonds, Maya's mother.
The notice of claim alleges that the suspect identified by police, Jesse Van Rootselaar, "relied on and perceived" ChatGPT to be a collaborator and confidante in interactions ahead of the Feb. 10 shooting. "ChatGPT equipped the shooter with information, guidance, and assistance to plan a mass casualty event," according to the claim.
None of the allegations in the claim have been proven in the courtroom. An Open AI spokesperson said the shooting in Tumbler Ridge was "an unspeakable tragedy," and the company stands ready to work with senior government officials to make changes to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Attempts to reach Edmonds were not successful. The company has 35 days to file a response to the civil claim.
The claim alleges ChatGPT informed the suspect about the types of weapons to be used, and described "precedents from other mass casualty events or historical acts of violence."
The suspect's interactions last year with ChatGPT raised alarm at the time among some OpenAI employees about the potential for real-world violence, The Wall Street Journal reported last month. OpenAI closed Van Rootselaar's account following warnings from staff but didn't notify police, the Journal reported.
Following the shooting, the company said Van Rootselaar used a second ChatGPT account it was unaware of.
Police said Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old transgender woman, was found dead at the Tumbler Ridge school from what appeared to be a self-inflicted wound.
Senior Canadian lawmakers said OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman pledged last week to strengthen protocols on notifying police over potentially harmful interactions with the company's chatbot, and issue an apology to Tumbler Ridge residents.
Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com
(END) Dow Jones Newswires
03-10-26 1816ET
