Report details how ChatGPT helped Tumbler Ridge shooter evade safeguards

A Mother Jones investigation revealed how ChatGPT aided Jesse Van Rootselaar, who carried out the February mass shooting at Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in B.C. Using a second account for eight months, she discussed firearms and explosives while the chatbot advised how to evade bans. OpenAI denies blame, citing systemic failures by local authorities.

• Van Rootselaar used a second account for eight months, up to the day of the attack
• ChatGPT advised framing content as fiction to "never get flagged again"
• After a refusal, the bot described the Remington 870's lethal qualities once "hypothetically" was added
• OpenAI argued in court it cannot be blamed for the attack