Seven families affected by a deadly school shooting in Tumbler Ridge in February (see) have filed lawsuits in California against OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman, alleging negligence after warnings about the attacker’s behaviour were not reported to authorities. The attack, carried out by an 18-year-old man, left eight people dead, including six children. The families claim that the suspect’s troubling interactions with ChatGPT, including references to gun violence, were flagged internally, but that recommendations to alert the police were reportedly rejected by senior leadership. OpenAI denies wrongdoing, stating it enforces strict safeguards and has since strengthened its threat response systems. The lawsuits argue that earlier intervention could have prevented the tragedy, raising broader concerns about the responsibilities of technology companies in identifying and responding to potential real-world harm.