Edelson PC files 30 new lawsuits against OpenAI over Tumbler Ridge school shooting

Chicago-based plaintiffs’ firm Edelson PC is dramatically expanding its legal offensive against OpenAI, filing 30 new lawsuits that escalate the claims from negligence to aiding and abetting. The new filings also name OpenAI’s head of global affairs, Chris Lehane, as a defendant, widening the circle of individuals the firm holds personally responsible for the February 2026 Tumbler Ridge school shooting. The legal campaign now totals roughly 37 lawsuits tied to the massacre, which killed eight people and injured at least 27 at a school in British Columbia. Plaintiffs are seeking over $1 billion in combined damages. The case against OpenAI The core allegation is damning in its simplicity. OpenAI’s internal safety team flagged the ChatGPT account of shooter Jesse Van Rootselaar for violent content back in June 2025, months before the February 10, 2026, attack. Leadership overruled the recommendation to report the account to authorities. The original seven lawsuits filed on April 29, 2026, targeted OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman with claims of negligence, product liability, and wrongful death. The 30 new filings ratchet things up considerably by alleging aiding and abetting, a legal theory ...