Edelson PC, the law firm representing victims and families from the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting, has filed 30 additional lawsuits against OpenAI, bringing the total to 37. The new plaintiffs include individuals who were present during the attack but were not physically injured. Unlike previous filings, these complaints allege that OpenAI aided and abetted the shooting, a claim that necessitates proving the company’s intent and is likely to encounter early dismissal challenges.
The lawsuits, filed in a California court, are linked to the February 10 shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, where Jesse Van Rootselaar killed several individuals before taking her own life. According to The Wall Street Journal, OpenAI staff were concerned about Van Rootselaar’s interactions with ChatGPT, which reportedly included discussions about gun violence and attack planning. Despite employee recommendations to alert Canadian law enforcement, OpenAI chose not to, deactivating Van Rootselaar’s account instead. OpenAI defended this decision, stating that the user’s activity did not meet the company’s threshold for an “imminent and credible risk” of harm. The new complaints specifically name OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, Chris Lehane, as the individual who allegedly instructed staff not to contact authorities, a claim OpenAI denies. The plaintiffs argue that Lehane’s background suggests a corporate culture prioritizing public relations over safety. Additionally, the complaints challenge OpenAI’s previous justifications for not notifying Canadian authorities, citing a contrasting response to an internal threat in November 2025, where the company promptly involved law enforcement.