Solomon to meet OpenAI CEO Altman in wake of mass killings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C.

VANCOUVER – Federal Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon will meet with OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman next week looking for a plan on how the company might prevent another tragedy like the mass killings in Tumbler Ridge, B.C. 

Solomon said in a statement on Friday that he plans to talk to Altman “to seek further clarity and to ensure that the commitments made are translated into concrete action.”

OpenAI had sent a letter to Solomon on Thursday, outlining its commitment to strengthen detection systems, to identify potential warning signals of serious violence, and better prevent attempts to evade safeguards.

Tumbler Ridge shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar had her ChatGPT account flagged internally and shut down by OpenAI last June, but the company did not notify police at the time. She went on to murder eight people on Feb. 10 in Tumbler Ridge, before killing herself.

The letter also revealed that Van Rootselaar got around her ChatGPT ban by having a second account.

“We acknowledge OpenAI’s letter and the new commitments they have outlined,” Solomon’s statement on Friday said. “While we note their willingness to strengthen law enforcement referral protocols, establish direct points of contact with Canadian authorities, and enhance safeguards, we have not yet seen a detailed plan for how these commitments will be implemented in practice.

“All options remain on the table as we assess what further steps may be necessary. Public safety must come first.”

Solomon also said he will be holding meetings with other major AI platforms in the coming weeks to make sure there is a “consistent and clear approach” for escalating cases that require local co-ordination.

He said the tragedy in Tumbler Ridge has raised serious questions about how digital platforms respond when credible warning signs of violence emerge.

“Canadians deserve greater clarity about how human review decisions are made, how escalation thresholds are applied, and how privacy considerations are balanced with public safety,” the statement said. 

British Columbia Premier David Eby appeared to take a softer stance toward OpenAI on Friday ahead of his own planned meeting with Altman.

Speaking at an unrelated news conference, Eby credited the company for not trying to hide problematic interactions between Van Rootselaar and ChatGPT after the attack took place.

“I want to recognize that OpenAI did come forward,” Eby said. “They did bring the information forward to police.”

But Eby remained critical of OpenAI’s decision not to notify police at the time the account was flagged and banned.

“They didn’t try to cover it up after the fact, but this was a colossal, horrific mistake, I guess, is the most generous interpretation I can offer, to fail to bring that information forward to authorities,” the premier said. “And it’s important that Mr. Altman realizes that.

“I will be looking for his support for a national standard across Canada, a national threshold where all AI companies must report — and clear consequences for if they fail to report — incidents where people are planning violence, planning to hurt other people, and using these tools to develop those plans.”

No date of the meeting between Eby and Altman has been set.

Eby had promised Thursday that there would be “a public process” after the police investigation, to answer questions surrounding AI’s role in the shooting and to “make sure this never happens again.”

He said during the question-and-answer period on Thursday in the B.C. Legislature in Victoria that there might be a coroner’s inquest into the case to reveal additional information after the police investigation is complete.

“Whether it’s a coroner’s inquest or a public inquiry, I am committing on the record that we will use any tools available to ensure that all questions are answered about this tragedy,” said Eby.

Eby has been scathing about OpenAI’s possible role in the Tumbler Ridge killings, repeatedly calling for a national reporting standard for the AI industry.

On Friday, he added that Canadians needed to seek a balance in finding ways to prevent harm while not losing the benefits of AI.

“There are lots of benefits that come from AI,” Eby said Friday. “I think many people have seen that and experienced it. There are many challenges that we’re going to have to address with AI. There are concerns about employment, displacement, people’s jobs. What is that going to mean? 

“Certainly in Tumblrr Ridge, we saw a horrific example potentially of an AI assisting someone in being more lethal and more effective in carrying out an attack against British Columbians … the total failure of the system to flag that to authorities and prevent it from happening, we have to deal with those issues.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 27, 2026.