A 20-year-old man from Texas faces attempted murder and arson charges following an attack on the San Francisco home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, authorities announced Monday.
San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins stated that Daniel Moreno-Gama is facing two counts of attempted murder and nine other charges. The charges follow an incident last week where Moreno-Gama allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at Altman’s residence.
“We interpret this behaviour for just what it is: An attempt on Mr Altman’s life and an extreme danger to those around him and those who work for his company,” Jenkins said during a news conference.
Jenkins added, “As the DA, my office will prosecute this case to the fullest extent of the law.”
Motive and federal charges
According to Al Jazeera, investigators believe Moreno-Gama targeted the tech executive because he believed artificial intelligence posed a risk to humanity.
In addition to the local charges, Moreno-Gama faces separate federal charges. These include possession of an unregistered firearm and attempted damage and destruction of property using explosives.
If convicted of the state charges, the suspect could face life in prison, per reports from Al Jazeera.
