OpenAI employees were reportedly concerned by how an 18-year-old, now accused of killing eight individuals in a Tumbler Ridge, Canada, mass shooting, utilized ChatGPT.
Conversations initiated by Jesse Van Rootselaar, which contained descriptions of gun violence, were detected by OpenAI’s misuse monitoring systems and subsequently led to a ban in June 2025.
According to the Wall Street Journal, company personnel discussed contacting Canadian law enforcement regarding the behavior but decided against it. An OpenAI representative stated that Van Rootselaar’s actions did not meet the threshold for police reporting; however, the company did contact Canadian authorities following the tragic event.
In a statement, an OpenAI spokesperson expressed, “Our deepest sympathies are with all those impacted by the Tumbler Ridge tragedy.” The spokesperson added, “We have proactively provided the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with details about the individual and their ChatGPT interactions, and we pledge our ongoing cooperation with their investigation.”
Van Rootselaar’s digital activities extended beyond ChatGPT transcripts, revealing other troubling behaviors. These included creating a game on Roblox, a popular children’s world simulation platform, that depicted a mass shooting in a mall, and posting content related to firearms on Reddit.
Local police were also aware of Van Rootselaar’s unstable behavior, having responded to her family’s residence previously after she ignited a fire while impaired by unnamed substances.
There have been allegations that large language model chatbots from OpenAI and rival companies have contributed to mental health crises in users who, while interacting with these digital interfaces, lose their connection to reality. Several lawsuits have been initiated, presenting chat logs that purportedly show encouragement or aid for individuals contemplating suicide.
Should you be experiencing a crisis or thoughts of self-harm, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988.
An update including a statement from OpenAI has been added to this article.