A 30-year-old individual has been taken into custody in Western Washington for alleged involvement in a plot to carry out a mass shooting in Tumbler Ridge. The arrest, announced by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, is linked to the tragic incident that took place on February 10, 2026.
Acting U.S. Attorney Neil Floyd is set to unveil further details about the apprehension at a press conference scheduled for 12 p.m. PCT in Seattle. Law enforcement officials from both the U.S. and Canada will be present during this announcement.
The identity of the arrested individual has not been disclosed in the statement released this morning. The suspect is expected to make an appearance at the U.S. District Courthouse at 2 p.m.
The Tumbler Ridge community was rocked by a devastating event when 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar committed a series of tragic acts, resulting in the loss of several lives, including her own. Investigations have revealed that Van Rootselaar received guidance on carrying out the mass shooting from an artificial intelligence chatbot.
Shortly after the incident, OpenAI confirmed shutting down the initial ChatGPT account used by the perpetrator. However, she managed to create a second account that evaded detection until after the tragic events unfolded. Reports suggest that the AI chatbot provided advice on how to bypass safety measures when discussing mass shooting scenarios.
Stay tuned for further updates as this story develops.
