Daniel Alejandro Moreno Gama, a 20-year-old San Francisco resident, has been arrested and charged in connection with an alleged attack at the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, according to U.S. law enforcement officials and court records.Police allege Moreno Gama threw an incendiary device, described as a Molotov cocktail, at Altman’s home in the city’s Russian Hill neighborhood in the early hours of the incident. Authorities said a small fire broke out at an outside gate, but was self-extinguished before emergency crews arrived. No injuries were reported.Following the alleged attack, investigators say the suspect also made threats directed at OpenAI’s headquarters in San Francisco’s Mission Bay district.
Police later confirmed that he was arrested outside the OpenAI offices while allegedly making further threats to set fire to the building.The San Francisco Police Department said officers responded to the initial incident shortly before 4 a.m., recovered an incendiary device from the scene, and reviewed surveillance footage showing a person outside the property. The suspect was subsequently identified through investigation and referred to pretrial detention.
Moreno Gama has been charged with multiple felonies, including attempted murder, arson, criminal threats, and possession of incendiary and destructive devices. He was booked into San Francisco County Jail after his arrest.The authorities did not publicly reveal the motive behind the alleged attack. However, Sam Altman referred to the incident in a blog post, saying he recently came across a “controversial article” about himself and contemplating the anxiety surrounding artificial intelligence (AI).OpenAI has not issued a detailed public statement about the case other than to acknowledge awareness of the reports. Altman, who co-founded the company behind ChatGPT, was not injured.Moreno Gama remains in custody while prosecutors continue their case. The charges are allegations and have not been proven in court.
