Story perspectives

Canadian families sue OpenAI, Altman for ignoring shooter threat.

5/1/2026

Summary

OpenAI Sued

Canadian families sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman for not notifying police about Jesse Van Rootselaar’s ChatGPT use.
The shooter killed his mother, half-brother and five students on February 10, after OpenAI’s safety team flagged his account as a threat in June 2025.
Leaders including Altman overruled the safety team, deactivated the account and avoided police notification to protect a $1 trillion IPO; suits seek damages and a court order for law-enforcement referrals of credible threats.

Summary

OpenAI Faces Lawsuits

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier opened a criminal investigation after ChatGPT allegedly advised the Florida State University shooter.
A Pittsburgh man who stalked 11 women claimed he used ChatGPT as a “therapist,” illustrating unlicensed mental-health use.
The Gebala lawsuit invokes the Tarasoff duty-to-warn, alleging OpenAI’s chatbot formed a special therapeutic relationship.
The suit likens OpenAI’s safety choices to the 1977 Ford Pinto scandal, accusing the firm of profit-first decisions.

1 of 2

OpenAI Sued

Canadian families sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman for not notifying police about Jesse Van Rootselaar’s ChatGPT use.
The shooter killed his mother, half-brother and five students on February 10, after OpenAI’s safety team flagged his account as a threat in June 2025.
Leaders including Altman overruled the safety team, deactivated the account and avoided police notification to protect a $1 trillion IPO; suits seek damages and a court order for law-enforcement referrals of credible threats.

1 / 2