OpenAI CEO Apologizes After Failing to Alert Police Over Shooter's ChatGPT Account
Sam Altman apologized after OpenAI banned the accused shooter's ChatGPT account in June 2025 but did not alert police before a Feb. 10 massacre that killed eight people.
TechCrunchOpenAI CEO apologizes to Tumbler Ridge community | TechCrunch
CBS NewsOpenAI CEO Sam Altman "deeply sorry" for failing to alert law enforcement to Canada school shooter's ChatGPT account
The GuardianAltman apologizes after OpenAI failed to alert police before fatal Canada shooting
BBC NewsOpenAI boss 'deeply sorry' for not telling police of Tumbler Ridge suspect's account
Washington TimesAltman apologizes after OpenAI failed to alert police before Tumbler Ridge killings
Overview
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wrote a letter dated Thursday apologizing that the company did not alert law enforcement about a ChatGPT account it banned in June 2025, Altman said.
The apology follows a Feb. 10 attack in Tumbler Ridge in which 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar killed eight people and injured roughly 25 to nearly 30 others, authorities said.
Altman said he had discussed the shooting with Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka and British Columbia Premier David Eby, who called the apology “necessary, and yet grossly insufficient,” and parents have sued while a Florida attorney general opened a probe.
OpenAI said it identified and banned the account in June 2025 after automated and human review but determined it did not meet the company’s threshold for referral to law enforcement at the time.
Altman said OpenAI will strengthen safety protocols, adopt more flexible criteria for referrals, establish direct points of contact with Canadian law enforcement, and work with governments to help prevent similar incidents.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources present largely neutral coverage, balancing factual reporting of OpenAI's flagged account, Altman's apology, and company safety plans with critical responses from officials. They rely on direct quotes (Altman, Premier Eby) and reported timelines (Wall Street Journal's account) rather than loaded editorial language, allowing source content to drive the narrative.