Man Charged with Attempted Murder After Attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's Home
A man accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at the San Francisco residence of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is now facing serious state charges, including two counts of attempted murder. Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, is due to be arraigned on these charges.
Concurrently, Mr Moreno-Gama is confronting federal felony charges, including the possession of an unregistered firearm and attempting to damage property using explosives. The US Justice Department asserts that he was found with documents advocating against artificial intelligence and calling for violent acts against AI executives and investors.
Official Statements and Allegations
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche emphasised, "Violence cannot be the norm for expressing disagreement, be it with politics or a technology or any other matter. These alleged actions – which damaged property and could well have taken lives – will be aggressively prosecuted."
OpenAI stated, "there is no place in our democracy for violence against anyone, regardless of the AI lab they work at or side of the debate they belong to."
While authorities initially refrained from identifying the target, OpenAI later confirmed the incident occurred at Mr Altman's home. Federal prosecutors allege Mr Moreno-Gama set fire to an exterior gate at Mr Altman's home before attempting to attack OpenAI's San Francisco headquarters approximately an hour later.
Security personnel reportedly witnessed Mr Moreno-Gama trying to strike the building's glass doors with a chair. Incendiary devices, a jug of kerosene, and a lighter were recovered by officers. The documents allegedly carried by Mr Moreno-Gama discussed potential AI risks and included a section titled: "Some more words on the matter of our impending extinction."
Fortunately, no one was injured in these incidents. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins expressed gratitude that "Mr Altman, his family, and his employees were uninjured in these attacks and are safe."
