The family of a 12-year-old girl injured in the Tumbler Ridge mass shooting filed a civil lawsuit against OpenAI on Monday. The claim alleges the technology company failed to notify law enforcement about the shooter’s violent intentions.
Cia Edmonds filed the notice in B.C. Supreme Court on behalf of herself and her daughters, Maya and Dahlia Gebala. The lawsuit states that Maya was shot three times at close range during the Feb. 10 attack. The girl suffered a catastrophic traumatic brain injury and remains at BC Children’s Hospital.
Medical Injuries and Family Impact
The civil claim details the physical trauma Maya sustained during the shooting. One bullet entered her head above her left eye. A second bullet struck her neck. A third bullet grazed her cheek and earlobe.
Maya suffered permanent cognitive and physical disabilities. She also has right-sided hemiplegia and physical deformities. The claim states she experiences depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Dahlia Gebala was at the school during the shooting but was not physically injured. She now suffers from anxiety and sleep disturbances. Edmonds also reported suffering from pain and loss of enjoyment of life.
Allegations Against OpenAI
The lawsuit claims OpenAI had specific knowledge of the shooter’s plans. The shooter allegedly used the ChatGPT chatbot to describe scenarios involving gun violence in June. These interactions occurred several months before the massacre.
An automated review system flagged the shooter’s writings. The Wall Street Journal reported that about 12 employees debated taking action. Some employees urged the company to alert Canadian law enforcement.
The company ultimately did not contact authorities. The civil claim accuses OpenAI of rushing its language model to the global market without adequate safety studies. It alleges the company deployed the software knowing it contained hazardous defects.
Legal and Political Response
The law firm Rice Parsons Leoni & Elliott LLP represents the family. The firm said the purpose of the lawsuit is to seek redress for harms and prevent future atrocities. The plaintiffs are seeking undisclosed punitive damages.
The lawsuit describes the conduct of OpenAI as reprehensible and morally repugnant. OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Monday. The company has since implemented changes to flag similar interactions for law enforcement.
B.C. Premier David Eby met with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman regarding the incident. Eby said Altman was prepared to apologize to the families in Tumbler Ridge. Various groups in the province are now seeking to ban children from using artificial intelligence.
Background of the Attack
Jesse Van Rootselaar, 18, killed eight people on Feb. 10. Six of the victims were children. The shootings took place at a family residence and the local high school.
Van Rootselaar died by suicide after the attack. The lawsuit argues that the tragedy was preventable if the tech company had acted on its internal flags. The legal proceedings continue in the B.C. Supreme Court.
