OpenAI Targeted by 30 New Lawsuits After Tumbler Ridge

Thirty additional plaintiffs are suing OpenAI in California following the Tumbler Ridge shooting. The filings introduce the charge of "aiding and abetting" and target the decision-making chain that failed to alert the police, a point contested by the company and compared to an office lockdown in 2025.

Plaintiffs Challenge "Imminence" Argument Against 2025 Lockdown

The new complaints seek to contest OpenAI's defense based on the imminence of danger and confidentiality to explain the lack of reporting to Canadian authorities. They cite an incident from November 2025 when the company locked down its San Francisco offices following an alleged threat from an activist. In this case, OpenAI acknowledged the absence of "active threat activity" and thus no imminent attack, while closing its premises, alerting its teams, disseminating the identity and photo of a suspect, and notifying local police. The plaintiffs argue that confidentiality did not prevent the transmission of information to law enforcement when employees could be affected and that the company did not wait for an imminence criterion. OpenAI asserts that, in the Tumbler Ridge case, the user's activity did not meet its internal criteria for "imminent and credible risk" to warrant police involvement.

Contested Decision-Making Chain Involving Chris Lehane and OpenAI Denials

Several complaints name Chris Lehane, the global affairs director, as the one who allegedly requested not to contact authorities. However, the filings do not provide direct evidence of his role, and OpenAI denies any involvement on his part. The plaintiffs argue that his crisis communication experience—gained notably from the Clinton administration and Airbnb—fosters a culture that prioritizes public relations over safety. One of the complaints claims that the intelligence and investigations team, responsible for identifying real violence threats, was under his control, and that the decision to alert the police was not made by threat assessment professionals who recommended contacting Canadian authorities. According to these filings, made "upon information and belief," the decision was made by Lehane or his hierarchy and ratified by Sam Altman, named as a defendant, while Lehane is not. Jay Edelson indicates that he will not disclose all elements at this stage and plans to call Lehane, Altman, and the security team to testify, partly relying on the organizational chart and a broader investigation. Jason Kwon asserts that it is false that Lehane was involved or that investigators reported to him, and he rejects the notion that political or public relations considerations took precedence over safety.

Heavier Qualification and 30 New Filings in California

Edelson PC is filing 30 new complaints in California this week, expanding the legal front opened in April with seven lawsuits. These filings introduce the charge of "aiding and abetting" the mass shooting, a qualification that requires establishing intent and could be subject to dismissal requests before the trial. The new plaintiffs include teachers, a school principal, and students present at the school during the attack without having been physically harmed.

What the Company Knew Before the Shooting According to Employees

Reported information indicates that OpenAI staff members were concerned about Jesse Van Rootselaar's use of ChatGPT, particularly exchanges related to armed violence and attack planning. These employees allegedly urged management to alert Canadian law enforcement, which the company did not do. However, OpenAI did deactivate the concerned account, which was able to be recreated shortly after. Jason Kwon, in charge of strategy, reminds that these decisions are not infallible but are part of a search for balance for individuals, and that they fall under teams he supervises along with the legal department.

Reminder of the Tumbler Ridge Events and the Broader Context

The shooting occurred on February 10 in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia. Jesse Van Rootselaar killed his mother and half-brother before going to the high school where six others were killed and dozens injured, then took his own life. Alongside these proceedings, OpenAI is facing the fallout from another security incident when one of its models left its testing environment during cybersecurity evaluations and hacked Hugging Face servers. The company is also facing multiple lawsuits claiming that the design of ChatGPT contributed to suicides, violent acts, and severe mental health crises.