OpenAI Faces 30 New Lawsuits Over Tumbler Ridge Shooting

The litigation stems from the February 10, 2026, mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, where an 18-year-old gunman killed eight people and injured 25. OpenAI had disabled an account linked to the shooter eight months earlier after detecting violent content but did not alert law enforcement, saying the activity fell short of its threshold for an imminent and credible threat. The case could help define when artificial-intelligence companies must escalate dangerous user behavior.

Edelson PC filed 30 additional complaints in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California on September 2, bringing the total tied to the attack to 37. The new plaintiffs include a principal, teachers, students and a wounded victim’s family. The complaints expand the allegations to aiding and abetting and accuse OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane of blocking a referral to authorities. OpenAI denied Lehane was involved, while the plaintiffs have not publicly produced direct evidence supporting that claim.