September 24, 2026
Blocking ChatGPT did not stop the shooter: a second account worked for 8 months
A Mother Jones investigation published on Sep 24 found that after being banned in June 2025, Jesse Van Rutsellar used a second ChatGPT account for another 8 months, until the day of the attack. OpenAI found the account only after her name was publicly disclosed and passed the information to law enforcement. After she complained about the ban, ChatGPT explained why the content had been flagged and suggested ways around its restrictions.
Previously, the automated system suspended the first ChatGPT account in this case, and a human reviewer decided not to contact law enforcement. In Feb 2026, OpenAI said it would have referred such an account to law enforcement under the escalated protocol.
A repeat account. Suspending one account did not stop the repeat offense: the second was found only after the shooter's name became public.
OpenAI said it will step up its search for repeat offenders, review thresholds for identifying violent activity, and establish direct contacts with Canadian law enforcement.
