ChatGPT Was Aware Of Canadian School Shooter’s Suspicious Activities. OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, said it had identified the account of the Canadian school shooter months before last week’s deadly attack but decided the activity did not meet the threshold for referral to law enforcement.
The account of 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar in June last year, through its abuse detection systems for the “furtherance of violent activities,” was reported by Associated Press. The company said it even considered alerting the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
However, the account was banned in June 2025 for violating OpenAI’s usage policy.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the company’s disclosure about its prior awareness of the account.
Account reviewed but not referred
OpenAI clarified that its internal standard for contacting law enforcement is whether there is an “imminent and credible risk of serious physical harm to others.”
After the shooting came to light, OpenAI said its employees reached out to Canadian authorities and shared information about the suspect’s use of ChatGPT.
Cops probing digital evidence
OpenAI contacted police after the shootings, RCMP Staff Sgt Kris Clark confirmed in an emailed statement to the news agency. He said investigators are carrying out a “thorough review of the content on electronic devices, as well as social media and online activities” of Van Rootselaar.
School shooting rampage
Police said Van Rootselaar first killed her mother and stepbrother at the family home before launching the attack at a nearby school in Tumbler Ridge.
The victims included a 39-year-old teaching assistant and five students aged 12 to 13. Authorities said Van Rootselaar died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
Investigators have said the case remains under active investigation as authorities continue to examine both physical and digital evidence linked to the suspect