British Columbia’s premier says police are seeking preservation orders for potential evidence related to last week’s mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, as scrutiny mounts over whether artificial intelligence company OpenAI failed to alert authorities to concerning online activity by the shooter prior to the attack.
Eight people, including six students, were killed on February 10th when Jesse Van Rootselaar opened fire at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School and at a home in the community. Van Rootselaar died by suicide at the school.
Premier David Eby stated that information suggesting OpenAI possessed relevant intelligence before the shooting is “deeply disturbing to the families of the victims and to all British Columbians.” He added that police are seeking orders to preserve potential evidence held by digital service companies, including social media platforms and AI firms.
According to reports in the Wall Street Journal, OpenAI employees considered alerting authorities to troubling interactions between Van Rootselaar and its ChatGPT chatbot several months before the attack. The company, however, did not notify Canadian law enforcement before the shooting.
The Wall Street Journal reported that Van Rootselaar had sent messages to ChatGPT outlining scenarios of gun violence, which were flagged by OpenAI’s automated monitoring system in June of last year.
OpenAI confirmed on Saturday that it proactively identified and banned a user account associated with Van Rootselaar in June after it violated the company’s policies. However, OpenAI maintained that the account did not meet the criteria for reporting a credible or imminent threat to law enforcement.
Following the shooting, OpenAI stated it contacted the FBI on February 11th to notify the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). The company then reached out to the premier’s office to obtain contact information for a senior RCMP official.
The RCMP has confirmed that OpenAI contacted them after the shooting and that “digital and physical evidence is being collected, prioritized and processed methodically” as part of the ongoing investigation. The RCMP likewise stated that it is investigating threats circulating online and within the Tumbler Ridge community following the attack, and has implemented a security plan for those potentially targeted.
Canada’s Minister of Artificial Intelligence, Evan Solomon, said on social media Saturday he was “deeply troubled” by reports that concerning online activity by the suspect was not promptly reported to police. “Canadians expect online platforms, including OpenAI, to have robust safety protocols and reporting practices to protect online safety and ensure law enforcement is notified of potential violence,” he stated. Solomon added that he is in contact with OpenAI and other AI platforms regarding their safety protocols and that the government is examining “a range of measures” to ensure the safety of Canadians, particularly children, as the RCMP investigation continues.
The provincial government had scheduled a meeting with OpenAI the day after the shooting, but the company did not mention its concerns regarding Van Rootselaar’s interactions with ChatGPT during that meeting, according to provincial officials. OpenAI subsequently requested the RCMP’s contact information.