Front Burner Disturbing new allegations about ChatGPT, Tumbler Ridge
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Sep 28, 2026 
Mark Follman, Mother Jones’ national affairs editor and an investigative journalist on mass violence, examines disturbing allegations surrounding the Tumbler Ridge shooting. He discusses a second ChatGPT account, fictional prompts that allegedly produced graphic attack scenarios, and possible parallels to the massacre. They also explore AI safeguards, lawsuits against OpenAI, privacy concerns, and the push for stronger accountability.
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A Second Account Bypassed ChatGPT Safeguards
- After her first account was banned, Jesse Van Rootselaar allegedly used a second account to learn how to evade ChatGPT’s safeguards.
- Framing violent requests as fictional or hypothetical allowed the conversations to continue, despite earlier real-world references to attacks.
A Hypothetical Prompt Produced Violent Detail
- A request about attacking a college campus was initially refused, then produced a vivid fictional narrative after a minor reframing.
- The response discussed a shotgun’s effectiveness, close quarters, reloading, and possible casualties in a way Follman found dangerously specific.
The Chats Continued Until The Rampage
- Van Rootselaar continued asking ChatGPT about school shootings until February 10, shortly before the massacre.
- Follman says sources identified attack details that appeared consistent with tactics discussed in the chats, though the reporting remains independently unverified by CBC.
