Texas man charged with attempted murder over Altman home attack
Texas man charged with attempted murder over Altman home attack
Texas man faces state and federal charges after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman's San Francisco home and attempting to damage OpenAI property.
A Texas man, 20-year-old Daniel Moreno-Gama, is facing multiple state charges including two counts of attempted murder after an alleged attack on the San Francisco home of OpenAI chief Sam Altman. Federal prosecutors allege Moreno-Gama set fire to an exterior gate at Altman's residence around 4:00 local time before fleeing on foot, and that he later attempted to ignite the San Francisco headquarters of OpenAI. He also faces federal felony charges that include possession of an unregistered firearm and attempted damage and destruction of property using explosives. These actions are part of an ongoing investigation into threats against AI leaders and facilities.
Authorities state that Moreno-Gama was found with documents advocating violence against AI executives and calling for crimes against AI executives and investors. Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche condemned the alleged actions, saying, “Violence cannot be the norm for expressing disagreement, be it with politics or a technology or any other matter,” and that such acts will be aggressively prosecuted. OpenAI acknowledged the incident, confirming that the related attack occurred at Altman's home and stressing that there is no place in democracy for violence against anyone, while noting the importance of pursuing debate through democratic processes.
OpenAI did not identify the location beyond confirming Altman as the target, and local and federal authorities have not disclosed further details about the residence. The incidents mark a troubling chapter in tensions surrounding AI development, and investigators continue to review security footage and locate potential accomplices as the case proceeds.
