Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon says he summoned representatives from OpenAI to Ottawa to discuss safety concerns following revelations about interactions the Tumbler Ridge, B.C., shooter had with ChatGPT.
ChatGPT states that the account was suspended due to concerns about the suspect’s posts, but it did not alert law enforcement officials in Canada because it was not deemed an immediate threat.
“The horrifying tragedy in Tumbler Ridge has left families with unthinkable losses and shaken communities across Canada,” Solomon said in a statement on Saturday.
“Like many Canadians, I am deeply disturbed by reports that concerning online activity from the suspect was not reported to law enforcement in a timely matter.”
Solomon said Canadians expect online platforms, including OpenAI, to have “robust safety protocols and escalation practices” to help protect public safety.
On Friday, ChatGPT confirmed that an account connected with the Tumbler Ridge shooter, Jesse VanRootelsar, was identified in June 2025 for “abuse and detection and enforcement efforts.”
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VanRootelsar shot and killed eight people on Feb. 10 — her mother and half-brother at her home and then five students and an educator at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School. VanRootelsar was then found dead of what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound inside the school, RCMP later confirmed.
“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the Tumbler Ridge tragedy,” a spokesperson for OpenAI, which owns ChatGPT, confirmed on Friday afternoon, adding that after the incident on Feb. 10, the company contacted the RCMP.
“We proactively reached out to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police with information on the individual and their use of ChatGPT, and we’ll continue to support their investigation.”
Solomon said on Monday he is deeply disturbed by the reports of what happened with ChatGPT and VanRootelsar’s account and that he contacted the company over the weekend to get more information and to arrange a meeting in Ottawa on Tuesday.
He says he expects the company’s top safety representatives to explain its protocols and how it decides to forward cases to law enforcement.
— With files from Global News’ Prisha Dev and The Canadian Press
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