OpenAI has requested a U.S. judge to throw out over 30 lawsuits filed in California by survivors and families of victims of the Tumbler Ridge school shooting. The plaintiffs allege that the tech company and its CEO could have prevented the tragedy. OpenAI’s legal team argues in their motions to dismiss that any legal action concerning the deaths and injuries should be pursued in British Columbia.
The company asserts that it will defend itself against what it labels as “unfounded accusations.” It contends that both private and public interests would be better served by having the case heard by a judge in British Columbia. The motion to dismiss states, “California is not the most appropriate forum for claims by British Columbians attacked by a British Columbian in British Columbia.”
On February 10, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar fatally shot eight people, including six children, before ending her own life. Following the tragedy, questions arose regarding the shooter’s interactions with the health care system and police, prompting scrutiny of OpenAI after reports emerged about Van Rootselaar’s use of ChatGPT.
The initial lawsuits against OpenAI and CEO Altman were filed in California last spring, with additional claims following recently. The lawsuits allege that “ChatGPT played a role in the mass shooting and OpenAI had the opportunity to prevent it.” The victims claim that the company had flagged the shooter’s ChatGPT account for “gun violence and planning” months before the attack but decided not to notify authorities after internal deliberations.
OpenAI has submitted motions to dismiss several suits in the past weeks, citing “forum non conveniens” to argue that British Columbia is the appropriate jurisdiction for legal actions related to the Tumbler Ridge incident. The company emphasizes that most evidence and potential witnesses are located in British Columbia.
The motion to dismiss also highlights British Columbia’s strong interest in resolving the actions within its jurisdiction due to the involvement of its institutions and regulations. OpenAI anticipates that the legal proceedings would involve an examination of Canadian law enforcement, firearms regulations, and British Columbia institutions related to the shooting.
Regardless of where the lawsuits proceed, OpenAI intends to challenge the allegations. The company asserts that the legal claims attributing responsibility to OpenAI for the tragic event are not viable. Samuel Altman, the CEO, is also mentioned in the filings, with the motion stating that he was not directly involved in the decisions related to the shooter’s ChatGPT account.
In response to the revelations about the shooter’s history with ChatGPT, Altman apologized to the Tumbler Ridge community and mentioned that the company has updated its protocols. The B.C. government is planning legal action against OpenAI and has demolished the Tumbler Ridge Secondary School site.
