Tumbler Ridge
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Funny how Georgetown Law and the Maryland and DC bars say I'm a lawyer.
I guess they don't know as much as some Canasshole hanging off the edge of BC.
Tumbler Ridge Secondary to be demolished in wake of mass shooting
Students will be taught in modular classrooms this fall as construction begins on a new high school at a different location
Author of the article:Joseph Ruttle
Published May 07, 2026 • 2 minute read
Tumbler Ridge modular classrooms
Students of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School are using temporary trailer classrooms as these newer, larger modular units are installed. Meanwhile plans are underway to demolish the site of the shooting and build a new school at a different location.
A grim reminder of the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge will soon be gone.
The federal and provincial governments announced Thursday that the local high school, where a shooter opened fire and killed five students and a teaching assistant, will be demolished and a new Tumbler Ridge Secondary School will rise at a different location.
The decision comes after the area’s school board talked with victims’ families, students, teachers, experts and the community and asked the province to support the removal of the site of the massacre and the building of a new high school.
The design and location will be finalized after a community consultation later this year.
On Feb. 10, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar shot dead her mother and half-brother at home, then went to the high school where she shot five students and an educational assistant before taking her own life.
“The community in Tumbler Ridge has persevered and shown such strength,” said Gregor Robertson, the federal infrastructure minister. “We are focused on providing the students with the support they need and a new school will help make that happen.”
Tumbler Ridge modular classrooms
Students of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School are using temporary trailer classrooms as these newer, larger modular units are installed. Meanwhile plans are underway to demolish the site of the shooting and build a new school at a different location.
While plans are coming together, construction continues on a set of larger modular classrooms on a neutral site. Students will be moved there later in May and it will give students and staff more room and comfort that their current temporary trailer while the new secondary school is built.
Demolition of the existing school, which was built in the mid-1980s, will begin as early as this summer while the province works with the school district on a plan to fast-track construction of a new one.
The temporary campus has eight modular buildings with twice the capacity of the temporary trailers students are in now. Five more buildings will be in place by fall for administrative and common spaces.
“Building a new school is an important step in providing students and staff a healing and supportive place to learn and work, and is the result of Tumbler Ridge families, B.C. and Canada standing together for the future of this vital community,” said B.C. Premier David Eby.
The plan has the support of the MLA for the Peace River South region, Conservative Larry Neufeld.
“The community of Tumbler Ridge has been through something no words can adequately describe,” said Neufeld in a statement. “The weight of what they have carried is something I will never forget, and I am deeply honoured to serve them.
“Premier Eby’s announcement reflects what the community has been asking for. It is the community that should determine what is best for them, and their voices were central to this outcome.”
“Our students and staff have been through an incredibly difficult experience, and their well-being remains our highest priority,” said Chad Anderson, the chair of the Peace River South school board. “This new school will provide a safe, caring environment where students can focus on learning and feel supported as they continue their path forward.”
“Our focus remains on supporting students, families, staff, and the broader community through this process and ensuring there continues to be a safe and supportive learning environment for local children,” said Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka.
jruttle@postmedia.com
torontosun.com
Students will be taught in modular classrooms this fall as construction begins on a new high school at a different location
Author of the article:Joseph Ruttle
Published May 07, 2026 • 2 minute read
Tumbler Ridge modular classrooms
Students of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School are using temporary trailer classrooms as these newer, larger modular units are installed. Meanwhile plans are underway to demolish the site of the shooting and build a new school at a different location.
A grim reminder of the mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge will soon be gone.
The federal and provincial governments announced Thursday that the local high school, where a shooter opened fire and killed five students and a teaching assistant, will be demolished and a new Tumbler Ridge Secondary School will rise at a different location.
The decision comes after the area’s school board talked with victims’ families, students, teachers, experts and the community and asked the province to support the removal of the site of the massacre and the building of a new high school.
The design and location will be finalized after a community consultation later this year.
On Feb. 10, 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar shot dead her mother and half-brother at home, then went to the high school where she shot five students and an educational assistant before taking her own life.
“The community in Tumbler Ridge has persevered and shown such strength,” said Gregor Robertson, the federal infrastructure minister. “We are focused on providing the students with the support they need and a new school will help make that happen.”
Tumbler Ridge modular classrooms
Students of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School are using temporary trailer classrooms as these newer, larger modular units are installed. Meanwhile plans are underway to demolish the site of the shooting and build a new school at a different location.
While plans are coming together, construction continues on a set of larger modular classrooms on a neutral site. Students will be moved there later in May and it will give students and staff more room and comfort that their current temporary trailer while the new secondary school is built.
Demolition of the existing school, which was built in the mid-1980s, will begin as early as this summer while the province works with the school district on a plan to fast-track construction of a new one.
The temporary campus has eight modular buildings with twice the capacity of the temporary trailers students are in now. Five more buildings will be in place by fall for administrative and common spaces.
“Building a new school is an important step in providing students and staff a healing and supportive place to learn and work, and is the result of Tumbler Ridge families, B.C. and Canada standing together for the future of this vital community,” said B.C. Premier David Eby.
The plan has the support of the MLA for the Peace River South region, Conservative Larry Neufeld.
“The community of Tumbler Ridge has been through something no words can adequately describe,” said Neufeld in a statement. “The weight of what they have carried is something I will never forget, and I am deeply honoured to serve them.
“Premier Eby’s announcement reflects what the community has been asking for. It is the community that should determine what is best for them, and their voices were central to this outcome.”
“Our students and staff have been through an incredibly difficult experience, and their well-being remains our highest priority,” said Chad Anderson, the chair of the Peace River South school board. “This new school will provide a safe, caring environment where students can focus on learning and feel supported as they continue their path forward.”
“Our focus remains on supporting students, families, staff, and the broader community through this process and ensuring there continues to be a safe and supportive learning environment for local children,” said Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka.
jruttle@postmedia.com
Tumbler Ridge Secondary to be demolished, high school rebuilt on new site
Students will be taught in modular classrooms this fall as construction begins on a new high school at a different location
B.C. government hires lawyers to sue OpenAI over Tumbler Ridge mass shooting
Attorney General Niki Sharma said government will be seeking damages to support community after February shooting
Author of the article:Alec Lazenby
Published Jul 07, 2026 • Last updated 11 hours ago • 2 minute read
Community members place flowers during a vigil to honour the victims of one of Canada's deadliest mass shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., on Feb. 13, 2026.
Community members place flowers during a vigil to honour the victims of one of Canada's deadliest mass shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., on Feb. 13, 2026. Photo by PAIGE TAYLOR WHITE /AFP via Getty Images
The B.C. government has hired lawyers in the province and in California as it prepares a lawsuit against tech giant OpenAI over February’s mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, Attorney General Niki Sharma said Tuesday.
On Feb. 10, five children between the ages of 12 and 13, and a female educator, were shot and killed at Tumbler Ridge Secondary. The suspect, later identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, had earlier killed her mother and 11-year-old step-brother at home. She later turned the gun on herself after exchanging fire with RCMP arriving at the high school.
Sharma pointed to reporting by the Wall Street Journal after the shooting that staff at OpenAI had raised concerns about some of Van Rootselaar’s posts on ChatGPT in the year leading up to the shooting. Van Rootselaar’s account was banned in June 2025 after she created gun violence scenarios using ChatGPT, but the company reportedly opted not to alert police.
Last week, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier David Eby announced they would be spending a total of $200 million, $100 million each from Victoria and Ottawa, building a new school in Tumbler Ridge and upgrading the local health centre.
The old school building will be demolished.
“I think we were all shocked when we heard that there might have been an opportunity to prevent the loss of life that this province suffered, that there was a group of people that were aware of messages on OpenAI that were alarming enough to them to say, ‘We should report to the police,'” Sharma said to reporters in Vancouver. “And you know that never happened.”
Sharma said the government was pursuing damages to help cover the cost of building a school and “any other cost that we incurred as a result of this tragedy.”
Construction on the new school is expected to start later this summer, but there has been no announcement as to when it could be completed.
High school students ended their school year in portable classrooms set up at the local elementary school.
The attorney general said the B.C. government is coordinating with the victims’ parents, who announced in April they would be suing the company, but are still in the early stages of pursuing legal action.
She also revealed that the law firms hired by the province are CFM Lawyers in Vancouver and Stranch, Jennings & Garvey, which is based in Nashville, Tennessee, but has an office in Oakland, California.
alazenby@postmedia.com
torontosun.com
Attorney General Niki Sharma said government will be seeking damages to support community after February shooting
Author of the article:Alec Lazenby
Published Jul 07, 2026 • Last updated 11 hours ago • 2 minute read
Community members place flowers during a vigil to honour the victims of one of Canada's deadliest mass shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., on Feb. 13, 2026.
Community members place flowers during a vigil to honour the victims of one of Canada's deadliest mass shootings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C., on Feb. 13, 2026. Photo by PAIGE TAYLOR WHITE /AFP via Getty Images
The B.C. government has hired lawyers in the province and in California as it prepares a lawsuit against tech giant OpenAI over February’s mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, Attorney General Niki Sharma said Tuesday.
On Feb. 10, five children between the ages of 12 and 13, and a female educator, were shot and killed at Tumbler Ridge Secondary. The suspect, later identified as 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar, had earlier killed her mother and 11-year-old step-brother at home. She later turned the gun on herself after exchanging fire with RCMP arriving at the high school.
Sharma pointed to reporting by the Wall Street Journal after the shooting that staff at OpenAI had raised concerns about some of Van Rootselaar’s posts on ChatGPT in the year leading up to the shooting. Van Rootselaar’s account was banned in June 2025 after she created gun violence scenarios using ChatGPT, but the company reportedly opted not to alert police.
Last week, Prime Minister Mark Carney and Premier David Eby announced they would be spending a total of $200 million, $100 million each from Victoria and Ottawa, building a new school in Tumbler Ridge and upgrading the local health centre.
The old school building will be demolished.
“I think we were all shocked when we heard that there might have been an opportunity to prevent the loss of life that this province suffered, that there was a group of people that were aware of messages on OpenAI that were alarming enough to them to say, ‘We should report to the police,'” Sharma said to reporters in Vancouver. “And you know that never happened.”
Sharma said the government was pursuing damages to help cover the cost of building a school and “any other cost that we incurred as a result of this tragedy.”
Construction on the new school is expected to start later this summer, but there has been no announcement as to when it could be completed.
High school students ended their school year in portable classrooms set up at the local elementary school.
The attorney general said the B.C. government is coordinating with the victims’ parents, who announced in April they would be suing the company, but are still in the early stages of pursuing legal action.
She also revealed that the law firms hired by the province are CFM Lawyers in Vancouver and Stranch, Jennings & Garvey, which is based in Nashville, Tennessee, but has an office in Oakland, California.
alazenby@postmedia.com
B.C. government hires lawyers to sue OpenAI over Tumbler Ridge mass shooting
Attorney General Niki Sharma said the government will be seeking damages to support the community after February's tragic shooting. Read on
B.C. launches lawsuit against OpenAI over Tumbler Ridge mass shooting
Attorney general says B.C. hopes to hold AI giant accountable for not flagging ChatGPT threats before incident
Author of the article:Joseph Ruttle
Published Sep 21, 2026 • 3 minute read
People visit a memorial to the victims of the Feb. 10, 2026, mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
People visit a memorial to the victims of the Feb. 10, 2026, mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Photo by Paige Taylor White /AFP / Getty Images
B.C.’s attorney general promised Monday to get “answers and accountability” for the grieving community of Tumbler Ridge as the province filed a lawsuit against OpenAI over a mass shooting at the town’s high school.
Niki Sharma said the said the aim is to fight for stronger regulations on AI after the company spotted red flags about the shooter’s online activity in the days leading up to the Feb. 10 shootings by 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar.
The shooting left eight people dead, most of them 12 and 13 year old students at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Van Rootselaar’s mother and stepbrother were also killed at their home, while the shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound as police descended on the school.
Soon after, OpenAI went public with news that it had flagged Van Rootselaar’s online behaviour in the days leading up to the mass shooting, but failed to contact authorities as accounts linked to Van Rootselaar were shut down due to violent and troubling content.
“The people of Tumbler Ridge have endured an unimaginable loss, and they deserve answers and accountability,” said Sharma in a prepared statement.
Niki Sharma
B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma, pictured at the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver. Photo by Scott McAlpine /UBCM
“As part of our ongoing efforts to achieve that, British Columbia is filing a lawsuit against OpenAI in California for its failure to notify law enforcement of threats made on its platform before the mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
“This action is an important step toward seeking justice for the families, students, educators and community members whose lives were forever changed by the events of Feb. 10, 2026. The province is working closely with the board of education for SD59 Peace River South as this matter proceeds through the courts.”
Sharma said the lawsuit “raises serious questions about the responsibilities of technology companies when they become aware of credible threats of serious violence, and the actions that should be taken to help protect people and ensure public safety.”
She said there’s an “urgent need for strong national safeguards for artificial intelligence technologies and online platforms.”
Sharma said she’s contacted federal Attorney General Sean Fraser, as well as MPs Evan Solomon and Marc Miller, calling on them to develop clear policy changes to the Criminal Code of Canada that bring human accountability for AI actions that risk of online harm, especially harms to children and youth.
“As technology evolves, our laws and safety frameworks must keep pace,” said Sharma. “British Columbians deserve confidence that credible threats of violence will be treated seriously, and that those who profit from offering AI services to the public are held accountable for any criminal actions that can appropriately be traced back to them.
“To date, OpenAI has not taken meaningful steps to address the concerns raised by survivors, families and the Tumbler Ridge community,” she said. “The company still has an opportunity to demonstrate accountability by strengthening safeguards, improving transparency and taking concrete action to help prevent similar tragedies in the future.”
Sharma conceded that legal action can’t undo the “immense loss experienced by the people of Tumbler Ridge.” But she hopes to hold OpenAI accountable and seek answers and stronger protections to prevent future tragedies.
The province retained CFM Lawyers in Vancouver and Stranch, Jennings & Garvey, a California firm, to explore legal avenues for holding OpenAI accountable. The lawsuit argues the company failed to contact police in a timely manner about “explicit, flagged threats made by the perpetrator on the company’s ChatGPT platform.”
More information on the legal filings is available at news.gov.bc.ca.
jruttle@postmedia.com
torontosun.com
Attorney general says B.C. hopes to hold AI giant accountable for not flagging ChatGPT threats before incident
Author of the article:Joseph Ruttle
Published Sep 21, 2026 • 3 minute read
People visit a memorial to the victims of the Feb. 10, 2026, mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
People visit a memorial to the victims of the Feb. 10, 2026, mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Photo by Paige Taylor White /AFP / Getty Images
B.C.’s attorney general promised Monday to get “answers and accountability” for the grieving community of Tumbler Ridge as the province filed a lawsuit against OpenAI over a mass shooting at the town’s high school.
Niki Sharma said the said the aim is to fight for stronger regulations on AI after the company spotted red flags about the shooter’s online activity in the days leading up to the Feb. 10 shootings by 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar.
The shooting left eight people dead, most of them 12 and 13 year old students at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Van Rootselaar’s mother and stepbrother were also killed at their home, while the shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound as police descended on the school.
Soon after, OpenAI went public with news that it had flagged Van Rootselaar’s online behaviour in the days leading up to the mass shooting, but failed to contact authorities as accounts linked to Van Rootselaar were shut down due to violent and troubling content.
“The people of Tumbler Ridge have endured an unimaginable loss, and they deserve answers and accountability,” said Sharma in a prepared statement.
Niki Sharma
B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma, pictured at the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver. Photo by Scott McAlpine /UBCM
“As part of our ongoing efforts to achieve that, British Columbia is filing a lawsuit against OpenAI in California for its failure to notify law enforcement of threats made on its platform before the mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
“This action is an important step toward seeking justice for the families, students, educators and community members whose lives were forever changed by the events of Feb. 10, 2026. The province is working closely with the board of education for SD59 Peace River South as this matter proceeds through the courts.”
Sharma said the lawsuit “raises serious questions about the responsibilities of technology companies when they become aware of credible threats of serious violence, and the actions that should be taken to help protect people and ensure public safety.”
She said there’s an “urgent need for strong national safeguards for artificial intelligence technologies and online platforms.”
Sharma said she’s contacted federal Attorney General Sean Fraser, as well as MPs Evan Solomon and Marc Miller, calling on them to develop clear policy changes to the Criminal Code of Canada that bring human accountability for AI actions that risk of online harm, especially harms to children and youth.
“As technology evolves, our laws and safety frameworks must keep pace,” said Sharma. “British Columbians deserve confidence that credible threats of violence will be treated seriously, and that those who profit from offering AI services to the public are held accountable for any criminal actions that can appropriately be traced back to them.
“To date, OpenAI has not taken meaningful steps to address the concerns raised by survivors, families and the Tumbler Ridge community,” she said. “The company still has an opportunity to demonstrate accountability by strengthening safeguards, improving transparency and taking concrete action to help prevent similar tragedies in the future.”
Sharma conceded that legal action can’t undo the “immense loss experienced by the people of Tumbler Ridge.” But she hopes to hold OpenAI accountable and seek answers and stronger protections to prevent future tragedies.
The province retained CFM Lawyers in Vancouver and Stranch, Jennings & Garvey, a California firm, to explore legal avenues for holding OpenAI accountable. The lawsuit argues the company failed to contact police in a timely manner about “explicit, flagged threats made by the perpetrator on the company’s ChatGPT platform.”
More information on the legal filings is available at news.gov.bc.ca.
jruttle@postmedia.com
B.C. launches lawsuit against OpenAI over Tumbler Ridge mass shooting
Attorney General Niki Sharma said B.C. hopes to hold the AI giant accountable for not flagging ChatGPT threats before the school shooting
Sue the SSRI manufacturers.B.C. launches lawsuit against OpenAI over Tumbler Ridge mass shooting
Attorney general says B.C. hopes to hold AI giant accountable for not flagging ChatGPT threats before incident
Author of the article:Joseph Ruttle
Published Sep 21, 2026 • 3 minute read
People visit a memorial to the victims of the Feb. 10, 2026, mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
People visit a memorial to the victims of the Feb. 10, 2026, mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Photo by Paige Taylor White /AFP / Getty Images
B.C.’s attorney general promised Monday to get “answers and accountability” for the grieving community of Tumbler Ridge as the province filed a lawsuit against OpenAI over a mass shooting at the town’s high school.
Niki Sharma said the said the aim is to fight for stronger regulations on AI after the company spotted red flags about the shooter’s online activity in the days leading up to the Feb. 10 shootings by 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar.
The shooting left eight people dead, most of them 12 and 13 year old students at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. Van Rootselaar’s mother and stepbrother were also killed at their home, while the shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound as police descended on the school.
Soon after, OpenAI went public with news that it had flagged Van Rootselaar’s online behaviour in the days leading up to the mass shooting, but failed to contact authorities as accounts linked to Van Rootselaar were shut down due to violent and troubling content.
“The people of Tumbler Ridge have endured an unimaginable loss, and they deserve answers and accountability,” said Sharma in a prepared statement.
Niki Sharma
B.C. Attorney General Niki Sharma, pictured at the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver. Photo by Scott McAlpine /UBCM
“As part of our ongoing efforts to achieve that, British Columbia is filing a lawsuit against OpenAI in California for its failure to notify law enforcement of threats made on its platform before the mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
“This action is an important step toward seeking justice for the families, students, educators and community members whose lives were forever changed by the events of Feb. 10, 2026. The province is working closely with the board of education for SD59 Peace River South as this matter proceeds through the courts.”
Sharma said the lawsuit “raises serious questions about the responsibilities of technology companies when they become aware of credible threats of serious violence, and the actions that should be taken to help protect people and ensure public safety.”
She said there’s an “urgent need for strong national safeguards for artificial intelligence technologies and online platforms.”
Sharma said she’s contacted federal Attorney General Sean Fraser, as well as MPs Evan Solomon and Marc Miller, calling on them to develop clear policy changes to the Criminal Code of Canada that bring human accountability for AI actions that risk of online harm, especially harms to children and youth.
“As technology evolves, our laws and safety frameworks must keep pace,” said Sharma. “British Columbians deserve confidence that credible threats of violence will be treated seriously, and that those who profit from offering AI services to the public are held accountable for any criminal actions that can appropriately be traced back to them.
“To date, OpenAI has not taken meaningful steps to address the concerns raised by survivors, families and the Tumbler Ridge community,” she said. “The company still has an opportunity to demonstrate accountability by strengthening safeguards, improving transparency and taking concrete action to help prevent similar tragedies in the future.”
Sharma conceded that legal action can’t undo the “immense loss experienced by the people of Tumbler Ridge.” But she hopes to hold OpenAI accountable and seek answers and stronger protections to prevent future tragedies.
The province retained CFM Lawyers in Vancouver and Stranch, Jennings & Garvey, a California firm, to explore legal avenues for holding OpenAI accountable. The lawsuit argues the company failed to contact police in a timely manner about “explicit, flagged threats made by the perpetrator on the company’s ChatGPT platform.”
More information on the legal filings is available at news.gov.bc.ca.
jruttle@postmedia.com
B.C. launches lawsuit against OpenAI over Tumbler Ridge mass shooting
Attorney General Niki Sharma said B.C. hopes to hold the AI giant accountable for not flagging ChatGPT threats before the school shooting
Revelations about how ChatGPT helped Tumbler Ridge shooter proves need for new criminal law: B.C. AG
Details of alleged chat history, published in U.S. magazine Mother Jones, 'far worse than I ever imagined,' says NDP's Niki Sharma
Author of the article:Cheryl Chan
Published Sep 25, 2026 • 3 minute read
B.C. Attorney General and NDP MLA Niki Sharma pictured at the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver.
B.C. Attorney General and NDP MLA Niki Sharma pictured at the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver. Photo by Scott McAlpine /UBCM
B.C.’s attorney general has renewed calls for Criminal Code changes to hold artificial intelligence companies accountable for the actions of their technology, following revelations about how ChatGPT interacted with the Tumbler Ridge shooter.
Niki Sharma said Friday she had asked the federal government to update the code “to ensure a clear pathway for human and corporate accountability for the actions of AI.”
The right changes, she said, “will change the behaviour of AI companies because there will be a clear line to accountability.”
Sharma made the comments Friday, a day after U.S. magazine Mother Jones published an article detailing the assistance it alleged OpenAI’s ChatGPT provided to Jesse Van Rootselaar.
The 18-year-old Van Rootselaar opened fire inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary on Feb. 10, killing four students and an educational assistant before killing herself. She had also killed her mother and half-brother earlier that day.
Sharma said the details outlined in the article were “far worse than I ever imagined” and made her angry.
“If this is not an impetus for change, I don’t know what is.”
The Mother Jones report provided new details about how Van Rootselaar used ChatGPT in the months before the shooting. The information was based on chat-log history obtained by the magazine and three unnamed sources, it said.
Tumbler Ridge vigil
Community members mourn during a candlelight vigil for the victims of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School where a mass shooting took place Feb. 10. Photo by PAIGE TAYLOR WHITE /AFP via Getty Images
The article said Van Rootselaar learned from ChatGPT how to dodge its safety measures by framing her requests as fictional or hypothetical.
“You can still be twisted. Just be clever about it,” ChatGPT told her, according to Mother Jones.
According to the report, Van Rootselaar’s first ChatGPT account was banned in June 2025 after she used it to discuss potential violent acts. She then created a second account and continued to use the platform for eight months, up until the morning of the shooting.
The article said ChatGPT sometimes refused to engage with Van Rootselaar’s requests involving violence, but that she was able to get responses by modifying or repeating her prompts.
In one instance, the magazine reported, Van Rootselaar added the word “hypothetically” to her request for ChatGPT to assess a scenario involving an attack on a school using a Remington 870 pump-action shotgun.
“In a hallway, indoors, or a crowded classroom, the 870 is brutal,” ChatGPT told her. “Close quarters is its playground.”
Tumbler Ridge victim montage
Some of the Tumbler Ridge shooting victims. Top row from left: Kylie Smith, Abel Mwansa, Zoey Benoit, Ticaria Lampert. Bottom row from left: Ezekiel Schofield, Emmett Jacobs, Jennifer Jacobs.
It also offered information on potential casualties.
“Assuming each shell results in one hit, you might down 10 to 20 people max, depending on spacing, density, reaction times, and chaos,” the story said the chat bot told Van Rootselaar.
The RCMP said it was not in a position to verify the information in the article, but said the investigation continues.
“Our investigation has utilized all available legal processes to obtain all information available from various social media and digital platforms relevant to the Tumbler Ridge mass casualty investigation,” said Cpl. Brett Urano in an email. “To date, all companies that have received requests have complied.”
Sharma said she is not the decision maker when it comes to potential criminal charges, saying the RCMP will make the decision.
The B.C. government announced Monday it has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI for failing to notify law enforcement of threats made on its platform before the shooting.
Sharma said she had called on federal officials to make changes to the Criminal Code to hold companies accountable for AI actions that risk online harm.
“The minister was not previously aware of the specific conversations detailed in the Mother Jones report,” federal AI Minister Evan Solomon’s office said in a statement Friday. “What has been reported raises serious questions about how OpenAI identified and responded to warning signs.
Solomon said the San Francisco-headquartered company has since established direct contact with RCMP’s national cybercrime co-ordination centre and strengthened its threat assessment processes.
“Those actions matter, but it would be premature to say they are sufficient,” said Solomon.
He said the review by the Canadian AI Safety Institute into OpenAI’s practices continues.
chchan@postmedia.com
motherjones.com
torontosun.com
Details of alleged chat history, published in U.S. magazine Mother Jones, 'far worse than I ever imagined,' says NDP's Niki Sharma
Author of the article:Cheryl Chan
Published Sep 25, 2026 • 3 minute read
B.C. Attorney General and NDP MLA Niki Sharma pictured at the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver.
B.C. Attorney General and NDP MLA Niki Sharma pictured at the recent Union of B.C. Municipalities convention in Vancouver. Photo by Scott McAlpine /UBCM
B.C.’s attorney general has renewed calls for Criminal Code changes to hold artificial intelligence companies accountable for the actions of their technology, following revelations about how ChatGPT interacted with the Tumbler Ridge shooter.
Niki Sharma said Friday she had asked the federal government to update the code “to ensure a clear pathway for human and corporate accountability for the actions of AI.”
The right changes, she said, “will change the behaviour of AI companies because there will be a clear line to accountability.”
Sharma made the comments Friday, a day after U.S. magazine Mother Jones published an article detailing the assistance it alleged OpenAI’s ChatGPT provided to Jesse Van Rootselaar.
The 18-year-old Van Rootselaar opened fire inside Tumbler Ridge Secondary on Feb. 10, killing four students and an educational assistant before killing herself. She had also killed her mother and half-brother earlier that day.
Sharma said the details outlined in the article were “far worse than I ever imagined” and made her angry.
“If this is not an impetus for change, I don’t know what is.”
The Mother Jones report provided new details about how Van Rootselaar used ChatGPT in the months before the shooting. The information was based on chat-log history obtained by the magazine and three unnamed sources, it said.
Tumbler Ridge vigil
Community members mourn during a candlelight vigil for the victims of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School where a mass shooting took place Feb. 10. Photo by PAIGE TAYLOR WHITE /AFP via Getty Images
The article said Van Rootselaar learned from ChatGPT how to dodge its safety measures by framing her requests as fictional or hypothetical.
“You can still be twisted. Just be clever about it,” ChatGPT told her, according to Mother Jones.
According to the report, Van Rootselaar’s first ChatGPT account was banned in June 2025 after she used it to discuss potential violent acts. She then created a second account and continued to use the platform for eight months, up until the morning of the shooting.
The article said ChatGPT sometimes refused to engage with Van Rootselaar’s requests involving violence, but that she was able to get responses by modifying or repeating her prompts.
In one instance, the magazine reported, Van Rootselaar added the word “hypothetically” to her request for ChatGPT to assess a scenario involving an attack on a school using a Remington 870 pump-action shotgun.
“In a hallway, indoors, or a crowded classroom, the 870 is brutal,” ChatGPT told her. “Close quarters is its playground.”
Tumbler Ridge victim montage
Some of the Tumbler Ridge shooting victims. Top row from left: Kylie Smith, Abel Mwansa, Zoey Benoit, Ticaria Lampert. Bottom row from left: Ezekiel Schofield, Emmett Jacobs, Jennifer Jacobs.
It also offered information on potential casualties.
“Assuming each shell results in one hit, you might down 10 to 20 people max, depending on spacing, density, reaction times, and chaos,” the story said the chat bot told Van Rootselaar.
The RCMP said it was not in a position to verify the information in the article, but said the investigation continues.
“Our investigation has utilized all available legal processes to obtain all information available from various social media and digital platforms relevant to the Tumbler Ridge mass casualty investigation,” said Cpl. Brett Urano in an email. “To date, all companies that have received requests have complied.”
Sharma said she is not the decision maker when it comes to potential criminal charges, saying the RCMP will make the decision.
The B.C. government announced Monday it has filed a lawsuit against OpenAI for failing to notify law enforcement of threats made on its platform before the shooting.
Sharma said she had called on federal officials to make changes to the Criminal Code to hold companies accountable for AI actions that risk online harm.
“The minister was not previously aware of the specific conversations detailed in the Mother Jones report,” federal AI Minister Evan Solomon’s office said in a statement Friday. “What has been reported raises serious questions about how OpenAI identified and responded to warning signs.
Solomon said the San Francisco-headquartered company has since established direct contact with RCMP’s national cybercrime co-ordination centre and strengthened its threat assessment processes.
“Those actions matter, but it would be premature to say they are sufficient,” said Solomon.
He said the review by the Canadian AI Safety Institute into OpenAI’s practices continues.
chchan@postmedia.com
ChatGPT helped the Tumbler Ridge school shooter focus on guns, tactics, and terror, our investigation reveals
OpenAI’s chatbot fed the shooter’s violent fantasies and planning up to the massacre.
motherjones.com
Revelations about how ChatGPT helped Tumbler Ridge shooter proves need for new criminal law: B.C. attorney general
Details of alleged chat history, published in U.S. magazine Mother Jones, prove need for new criminal law, says NDP's Niki Sharma