GoKawiilMother Jones reporter says Tumbler Ridge shooter's ChatGPT use worse than previously disclosed
Mother Jones national affairs editor Mark Follman reports he reviewed significant portions of chat logs between Tumbler Ridge shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar and ChatGPT, saying the content is far more disturbing and extensive than the public has known. OpenAI has already confirmed it flagged and shut down one account used by Van Rootselaar, failed to alert Canadian authorities, and missed a second account she created afterward. Van Rootselaar killed her mother, half-brother, five students and an education assistant before taking her own life on Feb. 10.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The new reporting suggests OpenAI's safety failures around this case may be broader than what the company has publicly acknowledged, which could intensify scrutiny of how AI firms detect and respond to users showing signs of violent intent. It also raises questions, according to Follman's account, about whether existing moderation systems are adequate to prevent chatbots from being used to plan real-world violence.
- Mother Jones reviewed chat logs between the shooter and ChatGPT described as more disturbing than previously reported.
- OpenAI has acknowledged flagging and disabling one account but missing a second account the shooter created.
- The attack killed seven people, including five students, before the shooter died by suicide.
Source: cbc.ca, 2026-10-06
Published there as: “Tumbler Ridge shooter's ChatGPT use "more disturbing" than known: reporter”
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