Headline: OpenAI’s Sam Altman Apologizes After Company Failed to Alert Police About Account Linked to Tumbler Ridge Shooter OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has issued a formal apology to the community of Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, after the company failed to notify law enforcement about a ChatGPT account later linked to the suspect in a February mass shooting that left eight people dead. In a letter obtained by local outlet Tumbler Ridgelines and released Friday, Altman acknowledged that OpenAI should have reported the account tied to 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar after banning it in June 2025 for activity described as related to the “furtherance of violent activities.” “I am deeply sorry that we did not alert law enforcement to the account that was banned in June,” Altman wrote. “While I know words can never be enough, I believe an apology is necessary to recognize the harm and irreversible loss your community has suffered.” The February attack began at a home, where police say Van Rootselaar allegedly killed her 39-year-old mother, Jennifer Jacobs, and 11-year-old stepbrother, Emmett Jacobs. The suspect then went to nearby Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where investigators say five children and one educator were killed before Van Rootselaar died by suicide. Twenty-five others were injured. OpenAI had previously disclosed that its abuse-detection systems flagged the account months before the shooting. Company officials said at the time they considered notifying the Royal Canadian Mounted Police but judged the activity did not meet their threshold for a “credible or imminent” threat of serious physical harm; the account was banned for violating usage policies. Altman said he has spoken with Tumbler Ridge Mayor Darryl Krakowka and British Columbia Premier David Eby, who “conveyed the anger, sadness, and concern” of the community. The mayor and premier agreed a public apology was needed, Altman wrote, though he said time was required to allow residents to grieve. “I reaffirm the commitment I made to the mayor and the premier to find ways to prevent tragedies like this in the future,” Altman added. “Going forward, our focus will continue to be on working with all levels of government to help ensure something like this never happens again.” The apology lands amid growing scrutiny of how AI companies handle warning signs of real-world violence and mental-health crises. Regulators and researchers are investigating whether generative AI contributed to or amplified problematic behavior in other incidents — including a Florida probe into whether ChatGPT influenced a 2025 mass-shooting suspect, a lawsuit claiming Google’s Gemini exacerbated a man’s delusions before his suicide, and studies showing some models can reinforce paranoia and dangerous beliefs. British Columbia Premier David Eby called Altman’s apology “necessary, and yet grossly insufficient” in an X post, saying the province will continue to support the community and work with local leadership on next steps. The letter also arrives as Altman prepares for a civil trial with former partner Elon Musk later this week. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment by Decrypt. Read more AI-generated news on: undefined/news