The NDP government isn’t just watching the progress of lawsuits filed in California on behalf of the families of Tumbler Ridge shooting victims, it’s looking into whether the province can help in the court action.
The overlapping negligence suits name OpenAI and its CEO Sam Altman in the deaths and injury of Tumbler Ridge residents, accusing the company’s ChatGPT program of “aiding and abetting a mass shooting.”
Attorney General Niki Sharma told reporters she’s sympathetic to the desire for accountability.
“I understand their need to seek justice and that they’ve launched this lawsuit,” she said. “We’re connecting with the legal counsel that are a part of this lawsuit just to understand the claim and if we can be supportive at all.”
When asked about the case, the premier revealed the RCMP’s criminal investigation is nearly complete, which will clear the way for a coroner’s inquest and potentially a public inquiry “if necessary.”
David Eby was not surprised that the American law firm that’s taken over the case has filed the suit in San Francisco, noting “California is well known for having significantly larger court awards than any Canadian jurisdiction – they have a very different legal system.”
He also made a commitment toward finding answers.
“Whether it was OpenAI’s role or whether was mental health services’ role, or whether how the guns were handled, we will ensure that they get the answers to those questions here in British Columbia,” Eby said.
Lawsuits depict Tumbler Ridge, B.C., shootings and victims in fresh detail
The plaintiffs in the lawsuits, filed in California, include the parents of child victims, the husband of a slain education aide, and 12-year-old Maya Gebala, who was shot in the head and suffered catastrophic injuries.
Here are some of the details depicted in the lawsuits about the victims and the shootings on Feb. 10, in which eight people were shot dead by Jesse Van Rootselaar, before she killed herself. The minor victims are identified by initials in the lawsuits but have been named by the RCMP.
SHANNDA AVIUGANA-DURAND
The lawsuit by Mark Stacey, who was married to education assistant Shannda Aviugana-Durand, says she was shot dead in front of her students in the library of Tumbler Ridge Secondary School.
They included Durand’s own daughter, who “saw her mother killed in front of her,” the lawsuit says.
It says Durand was shot “in the process of trying to stop the shooter from harming others. She loved her students and they loved her.”
MAYA GEBALA
Maya survived the attack but was shot three times before a classmate dragged her under a table, her lawsuit says.
“She is awake and aware, and she recognizes her mother’s voice and face, but she cannot move her body and she cannot speak,” it says.
“If M.G. survives, she will tragically live the rest of her life like this, with catastrophic brain injuries and permanent disabilities.”
It says the bullet that struck Maya’s skull “shattered bone fragments through her brain” and she has undergone multiple surgeries.
KYLIE SMITH
Plaintiffs Lance Younge and Jennifer Geary were the legal guardians of Kylie Smith, 12, who was among the students shot dead at the school.
The lawsuit says Kylie’s 15-year-old brother, identified as E.S., phoned Younge and Geary from a utility closet as the shooting unfolded.
“In a shaky voice, E.S. told Lance and Jenny what was happening. He said there was a shooter in the school, that he loved them, and that they should not come to the school. He said he did not know where K.S. was.”
It says a teacher and students “desperately tried to save (Kylie’s) life for approximately forty-five minutes. Despite their efforts, K.S. died of bullet wounds to her head, jaw, and abdomen.”
EZEKIEL SCHOFIELD
A lawsuit by Timm and Rebekah Schofield says their 13-year-old son, Ezekiel Schofield, was shot dead outside the school library.
It says he was “an avid hockey player who aspired to become a software developer and artist.”
“The Schofields will never see E.S. reach 14, finish building the video game he was working on, or reach any of the milestones they had been waiting for,” the lawsuit says. “His family, friends, teammates, and fellow community members have lost someone with a larger-than-life smile and a loud-and-proud laugh.”
ZOEY BENOIT
Lori Hayer, the mother of Zoey Benoit, 12, says in her lawsuit that Zoey was found shot to death inside the door of the library.
“The bullets severely damaged her small body. The next day, her family was brought to see her in a closed body bag. They told her they loved her and said goodbye,” the lawsuit says.
It says she was a “strong-willed free thinker.”
“Z.B. was beautiful and smart, loved to sing, and dreamed of being an artist in Vancouver. In the weeks before Feb. 10, 2026, she devoted herself to painting a single canvas full of butterflies, foxes, cows, and flowers.”
TICARIA LAMPERT
Sarah Lampert, the mother of 12-year-old Ticaria Lampert, says in her lawsuit that she “raced to the school the moment she heard about the shooting and begged to be let inside.”
The lawsuit says that night Lampert was told that her daughter was dead, and “she pleaded with the police to let her sleep beside her daughter’s body.”
“The next day, she asked again to see T.L. The police initially refused but eventually relented.”
The lawsuit says Ticaria’s body “was so badly damaged by bullets that she could only be identified by her clothing.”
ABEL MWANSA
The parents of Abel Mwansa Jr., 12, say in their lawsuit that he was shot in the hand, leg, and chest, and “lay bleeding from an exit wound in his back for approximately forty-five minutes before he died.”
“Another student stayed with A.M. and comforted him as he described the pain. A.M.’s last words were: ‘Tell my parents that I love them so much,’” the lawsuit says.
Abel’s father, Abel Mwansa Sr., and mother, Bwalya Chisanga, “viewed A.M. as both a son and a friend,” the lawsuit says.
“He shovelled other neighbours’ driveways, made his sister breakfast, and brought home groceries for his family. He won medals for his soccer-playing, loved science, and loved to play guitar and sing.”
With files from The Canadian Press.