OpenAI debated calling police about suspected Canadian shooter’s chats

OpenAI staff debated whether to contact Canadian law enforcement regarding alarming chats about gun violence made by Jesse Van Rootselaar, an 18-year-old who allegedly committed a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, Canada. The user's activity on ChatGPT was flagged by misuse monitoring tools and banned in June 2025, but OpenAI ultimately decided not to report the behavior to authorities at the time, stating it did not meet the reporting criteria. OpenAI did contact Canadian authorities after the incident occurred. Van Rootselaar's concerning digital footprint also included creating a mass shooting simulation game on Roblox and posting about guns on Reddit. Local police were also aware of her instability, having been called to her home after she started a fire while under the influence of drugs.

(Source：TechCrunch)