OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has publicly apologized to the community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, after the company failed to alert law enforcement about a user account linked to the suspect in a February mass shooting that killed eight people.
In a letter released Friday, Altman said OpenAI should have reported the account belonging to Jesse Van Rootselaar after banning it in June 2025 for activity related to the "furtherance of violent activities," according to a report by Canadian media outlet Tumbler Ridgelines.
"I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement to the account that was banned in June," Altman wrote. "While I know words can never be enough, I believe an apology is necessary to recognize the harm and irreversible loss your community has suffered."
The letter follows a February mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, in which local law enforcement said 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar allegedly killed her 39-year-old mother, Jennifer Jacobs, and 11-year-old stepbrother, Emmett Jacobs, at their home before proceeding to nearby Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and opening fire. Five children and one educator were killed at the school before Van Rootselaar died by suicide. Twenty-five others were injured.
"I want to express my deepest condolences to the entire community," Altman wrote. "No one should ever have to endure a tragedy like this. I cannot imagine anything worse in this world than losing a child."
After the attack, OpenAI disclosed that its abuse-detection systems had flagged Van Rootselaar's ChatGPT account months earlier. The company said it considered notifying the Royal Canadian Mounted Police but ultimately decided the activity did not meet its threshold for a credible or imminent threat of serious physical harm. The account was subsequently banned for violating usage policies.
Altman said he had spoken with Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka and British Columbia Premier David Eby, who "conveyed the anger, sadness, and concern" felt across the community. He said they agreed that "a public apology was necessary," but that time was needed to allow residents to grieve.
"I reaffirm the commitment I made to the mayor and the premier to find ways to prevent tragedies like this in the future," Altman wrote. "Going forward, our focus will continue to be on working with all levels of government to help ensure something like this never happens again."
The letter arrives as AI companies face growing scrutiny over how they handle signs of real-world violence and mental-health crises. A Florida investigation is underway into whether ChatGPT influenced a 2025 mass shooting suspect, a lawsuit alleges Google's Gemini pushed a Florida man deeper into delusions before his suicide, and new research has warned that some AI models can reinforce paranoia and dangerous beliefs.
The apology also comes as Altman prepares for a civil trial with rival and former business partner Elon Musk in federal court later this week.
Premier Eby responded to the letter in a post on X. "The apology is necessary, and yet grossly insufficient for the devastation done to the families of Tumbler Ridge," he wrote. "We will continue to stand with Mayor Darryl Krakowa and the people of Tumbler Ridge in the difficult work ahead."
Why it matters
OpenAI's abuse-detection systems flagged the suspect's account months before the shooting, but the company decided the activity did not meet its threshold for a credible or imminent threat — illustrating the difficulty platforms face when assessing whether flagged content warrants law enforcement notification.
The case is one of several prompting scrutiny of how AI companies respond to signs of real-world violence, including a separate Florida investigation into ChatGPT's potential role in a 2025 mass shooting and a lawsuit involving Google's Gemini.
The incident is raising broader questions about whether AI companies have a duty to report potential threats to authorities, an issue the original article explicitly identifies as an emerging concern.
