Sam Altman apologises after OpenAI failed to flag suspect before Canada shooting

Sam Altman apologised after OpenAI did not alert police about an account later linked to the Tumbler Ridge killings. The letter acknowledged the community's anger and grief and pledged work with governments to prevent similar tragedies.

In Short

• Police said the 18-year-old killed relatives before attacking the secondary school
• Five children and one educator died, while twenty-five others were injured
• OpenAI identified the account in June for furtherance of violent activities

OpenAI chief Sam Altman has issued a public apology after the company failed to alert law enforcement about online activity linked to a mass shooting that killed eight people in Tumbler Ridge.

In a letter dated Thursday and shared publicly on Friday, Sam Altman said the company should have done more after identifying concerning behaviour on the suspect’s account months before the attack.

“I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement to the account that was banned in June,” Altman wrote, offering condolences to the victims’ families and the wider community. “No one should ever have to endure a tragedy like this.”

According to authorities, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar carried out the February 10 attack, killing her mother and younger stepbrother at home before opening fire at a local secondary school, where five students and an educator were killed. Twenty-five others were injured. The suspect later died by suicide.

Following the incident, OpenAI revealed that it had detected the suspect’s account in June through its abuse monitoring systems for potential involvement in violent activity. The account was subsequently banned for violating usage policies.

However, the company said it did not refer the case to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, concluding at the time that the activity did not meet the threshold for law enforcement escalation.

The decision has come under scrutiny in the aftermath of the attack. David Eby said it appeared the company may have had an opportunity to intervene before the violence unfolded.

Altman said he had spoken with local officials, including Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka and Premier Eby, who conveyed the grief and anger within the community. He acknowledged that while an apology cannot undo the loss, it was necessary to recognise the harm caused.

“While I know words can never be enough, I believe an apology is necessary to recognise the irreversible loss your community has suffered,” he wrote.

Altman also pledged that OpenAI would work more closely with governments to improve safeguards and prevent similar incidents in the future.

Eby, however, described the apology as “necessary, and yet grossly insufficient,” underscoring growing concerns about the role and accountability of AI platforms in detecting and reporting threats of real-world violence.

- Ends
With agency inputs