February 23,2026
RED FM News Desk
Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon has invited OpenAI representatives to Ottawa to address safety concerns after reports revealed that Tumbler Ridge shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar had interacted with ChatGPT.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Van Rootselaar’s account was banned last June for posts flagged as troubling, some of which referenced gun violence scenarios. OpenAI stated the posts did not meet the threshold for notifying authorities, as they lacked credible or imminent threats.
Solomon said he was deeply concerned by the reports and contacted the company over the weekend to gather more information and arrange a meeting in Ottawa on Tuesday. He expects OpenAI’s top safety officials to clarify their protocols and explain how decisions are made regarding forwarding potential threats to law enforcement. While he did not confirm whether the government plans to regulate AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Solomon emphasized that all options are being considered.
In a related development, the RCMP have arrested Jacob Van Rootselaar, Jesse’s 22-year-old older brother, on a Canada-wide warrant for attempted murder. He was wanted in connection with an incident involving an edged weapon in 2024 in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Jacob was taken into custody Friday in Sylvan Lake, Alberta, and released after being charged.
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