A 30-year-old Washington state man, James Codey Bryant, has been taken into federal custody on charges of conspiring to commit murder in a foreign country. US authorities allege that Bryant served as an accomplice to Jesse Van Rootselaar, who carried out a mass shooting at a Canadian school earlier this year. This incident, which claimed the lives of six children as well as the shooter’s mother and half-brother, is recorded as the second-deadliest school attack in Canadian history. A surprise suspected accomplice has been arrested in connection with a mass school shooting in Canada that was made notorious after an 18-year-old allegedly killed six children after discussing it with the AI chatbot ChatGPT.
Investigations revealed that the perpetrator, Van Rootselaar, had utilized ChatGPT to help map out the attack. While internal safety teams at OpenAI flagged her inquiries regarding gun violence, the company failed to alert law enforcement. Records indicate that even after her initial account was closed, she successfully registered a second account to continue her planning. The families of the victims and the province of British Columbia are currently pursuing legal action against OpenAI and its leadership for these security oversights. It was not previously known publicly that Van Rootselaar was also talking to a human about her plans.
New evidence released during a joint briefing by the US Department of Justice and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) confirms that Van Rootselaar was not working entirely alone. Authorities state that she and Bryant first connected on the now-shuttered messaging platform Omegle roughly three years before the shooting. The pair maintained a digital correspondence that allegedly involved Bryant providing both financial support and guidance.
According to federal investigators, Bryant funneled approximately $100 to the suspect for shoes and $15 for a lighter. The Justice Department alleges that throughout their six-month interaction leading up to the February tragedy, Bryant provided what they described as “technical advice.” There is no evidence currently suggesting that the two individuals ever met in person. According to neil Floyd, acting US attorney, and W Mike Herrington, the special agent in charge for the FBI’s Seattle bureau,, They believe Bryant sent Van Rootselaar about $100 to buy new shoes and aabout $15 for a lighter. It was not clear whether the suspect was represented by a lawyer.
Court documents reveal a pattern of behavior aimed at concealing their communication. By August 2025, Bryant had instructed his co-conspirator to delete their message history, later suggesting the use of a VPN to prevent detection while uploading footage of the planned attack. Despite these actions, police noted that Bryant occasionally attempted to dissuade Van Rootselaar from proceeding with the massacre, yet he never notified authorities.
The criminal complaint details a pivotal moment during the event: after killing her relatives, the shooter struggled to start her vehicle. Prosecutors allege that Bryant provided instructions on how to ignite the engine, which ultimately allowed the suspect to reach the school and carry out the attack. Further allegations indicate that Bryant had agreed to livestream the event, a factor that investigators believe may have been instrumental in pushing the shooter to commit the violence.
Bryant is currently facing prosecution in the United States, with the FBI leading the investigation in coordination with Canadian law enforcement. Officials have stated that the investigation remains active as they continue to review the nature of the digital conspiracy.
