OpenAI debated calling police about suspected Canadian shooter’s chats

An 18-year-old who allegedly killed eight people in a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, Canada, reportedly used OpenAI’s ChatGPT in ways that alarmed the company’s staff.

Jesse Van Rootselaar’s chats describing gun violence were flagged by tools that monitor the company’s LLM for misuse and banned in June 2025.

Staff at the company debated whether or not to reach out to Canadian law enforcement over the behavior but ultimately did not, according to the Wall Street Journal. An OpenAI spokesperson said Van Rootselaar’s activity did not meet the criteria for reporting to law enforcement; the company reached out to Canadian authorities after the incident.

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the Tumbler Ridge tragedy,” an OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement. “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.”

ChatGPT transcripts weren’t the only concerning part of Van Rootselaar’s digital footprint. She apparently created a game on Roblox, the world simulation platform frequented by children, which simulated a mass shooting at a mall. She also posted about guns on Reddit.

Van Rootselaar’s instability was also known to local police, who had been called to her family’s home after she started a fire while under the influence of unspecified drugs.

LLM chatbots built by OpenAI and its competitors have been accused of triggering mental breakdowns in users who lose grip on reality while conversing with digital models. Multiple lawsuits have been filed that cite chat transcripts that encourage people to commit suicide or offer assistance in doing so.

If you are in a crisis or having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline.

This post has been updated with comment from OpenAI.