ChatGPT account linked to B.C. mass shooter banned for violating policy, company says

A ChatGPT account connected to Jesse Van Rootselaar was banned by OpenAI long before the horrific shooting.

A ChatGPT account connected to Jesse Van Rootselaar was flagged last year over concerning interactions that violated owner OpenAI’s policies, according to the company.

OpenAI has confirmed an account linked to the young Tumbler Ridge, B.C., resident was investigated for unspecified uses of the chatbot that raised alarm bells about possible violent intentions.

The account was banned in June 2025, more than seven months before last week’s horrific mass shooting.

• Related: Who was the Tumbler Ridge shooter? What we know

OpenAI also confirmed that staff considered referring the account to law enforcement but ultimately determined the interactions did not warrant doing so.

In a statement, a spokesperson said the company has “proactively reached out” to the RCMP since the shooting to provide information on the ChatGPT account and will “continue to support their investigation.”

“Our thoughts are with everyone affected by the Tumbler Ridge tragedy,” the spokesperson said.

A blog post on the OpenAI website describes its efforts to “detect users who are planning to harm others.”

“We route their conversations to specialized pipelines where they are reviewed by a small team trained on our usage policies and who are authorized to take action, including banning accounts,” the post reads. “If human reviewers determine that a case involves an imminent threat of serious physical harm to others, we may refer it to law enforcement.”

Authorities have said they had contact with Van Rootselaar multiple times before the Feb. 10 shooting, which left eight innocent people dead, and that she was apprehended under the Mental Health Act more than once.

• Related: These are the victims of the Tumbler Ridge tragedy

The RCMP has also confirmed investigators are examining the shooter’s online activity for clues as to what led up to the tragedy.

“Digital and physical evidence is being collected, prioritized, and methodically processed,” Staff Sgt. Kris Clark of the B.C. RCMP said in an email Friday.

“This includes a thorough review of the content on electronic devices, as well as social media and online activities.”