OpenAI blocked a ChatGPT account belonging to a suspect in a mass shooting in British Columbia, Canada, more than six months before the attack. The suspect is Jesse Van Rutsellar, who is accused of killing eight people. This is reported by the BBC, writes UNN.
Details
"OpenAI blocked a ChatGPT account belonging to a suspect in a mass shooting in British Columbia more than six months before the attack," the publication says.
The artificial intelligence company stated that in June 2025, as part of its abuse detection and prevention system, "an account belonging to Jesse Van Rutsellar was identified, which, among other things, was used to commit illegal acts."
"OpenAI said it did not notify authorities about the account because its use did not meet the threshold of a credible or imminent plan to cause serious physical harm to others," the publication writes.
The company's statement also noted that it sympathizes with all those affected by the tragedy. After the attack, OpenAI "proactively" contacted Canadian police to provide information about the suspect.
According to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the story, "about a dozen employees discussed whether to take any action regarding Van Rutsellar's posts."
"Some considered the suspect's use of an artificial intelligence tool a sign of real-world violence and urged leaders to warn authorities," the American publication reports.
However, according to the data provided, "the company's management decided not to do so."
In a statement, an OpenAI representative said: "In June 2025, we proactively identified an account associated with this individual [Jesse Van Rutsellar] through our abuse detection and enforcement efforts, which include automated tools and human investigations to detect abuse."
They stated that the company would continue to support the police investigation.
Additionally
Van Rutsellar is suspected of the mass murder of eight people in rural Tumbler Ridge on February 12, one of the deadliest attacks in Canadian history.
Van Rutsellar was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound at school. Police said the suspect was biologically male but identified as female.