A man who launched a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman's residence and possessed a kill list targeting the AI CEO has entered a not guilty plea for attempted murder.

      **TL;DR** A 20-year-old who allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman's home and had a kill list of AI executives pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, with his defense labeling it as a property crime. The state charges could lead to life in prison.

      Daniel Moreno-Gama, aged 20, faces two counts of attempted murder and nine other criminal charges after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the residence of OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman in San Francisco, and then threatening to burn down the OpenAI building. During his brief arraignment at San Francisco Superior Court, Moreno-Gama, dressed in an orange jail jumpsuit, did not speak. His lawyer entered the pleas for him and requested a mental health assessment, which the judge approved. The defense characterized the act as merely “a property crime” and accused the prosecution of trying to win favor with Altman. The state charges could result in sentences ranging from 19 years to life imprisonment. Additionally, federal prosecutors have filed separate charges related to possessing an unregistered firearm and attempting to destroy property using explosives, which could add up to 30 more years. This case symbolizes a significant backlash against artificial intelligence that has intensified from protests to acts of violence within a short span.

      **The Attack**

      Police detained Moreno-Gama early on April 10 after he purportedly threw a lit Molotov cocktail at Altman's residence around 4 a.m., igniting the gate without causing any injuries. Altman was home, and security was present. After fleeing on foot, Moreno-Gama arrived at OpenAI's headquarters just under an hour later, where he allegedly attempted to smash the glass doors with a chair and threatened to set the building on fire. Officers found him with more incendiary devices, a jug of kerosene, a lighter, and a document titled “Your Last Warning.”

      This document, reportedly written by Moreno-Gama, called for the killing of AI company leaders and their investors and contained names and addresses that supposedly belonged to various CEOs and investors in the AI sector. Moreno-Gama viewed artificial intelligence as a danger to human survival and warned of “impending extinction.” He had traveled from Spring, Texas, where he works part-time at a pizzeria and attends community college. The FBI later conducted searches at his Texas residence.

      **The Second Attack**

      Just two days post-Molotov cocktail incident, Altman's home was targeted again, this time with gunfire from a passing vehicle, leading to the arrest of two individuals aged 25 and 23. The San Francisco District Attorney's office noted a lack of evidence connecting the two events, but the timing and target raised concerns. Over two days, one of the most notable figures in artificial intelligence faced two attacks from different perpetrators. The security measures surrounding AI leaders, already heightened due to years of threats, were further reinforced. Altman has not publicly addressed these incidents.

      Moreno-Gama’s attack on Altman's home, source: Office of Public Affairs U.S Department of Justice.

      The threats extend beyond Altman. In the months leading up to the attack, AI leaders and European policymakers received packages containing six-fingered gloves, referencing generative AI’s past issues with rendering hands, which were seen as warnings. In November 2025, OpenAI employees were instructed to secure themselves after a man threatened their office. Together, these incidents have added the physical safety of AI executives and researchers to the list of pressing industry concerns alongside model alignment, regulatory compliance, and competitive strategies.

      **The Context**

      Moreno-Gama’s manifesto reflects a growing anti-AI sentiment that has transitioned from fringe online forums to a notable political and social movement. Between April and June 2025, local opposition blocked or delayed 20 proposed data center projects valued at roughly $98 billion. At least 142 activist organizations across 24 states are now mobilizing against data center construction. In February 2026, hundreds protested outside the London offices of OpenAI, Google DeepMind, and Meta, marking one of the largest anti-AI demonstrations to date. In Nepal, demonstrators set fire to a data center in Kathmandu, disrupting internet access nationwide. Public opinion polls consistently indicate that a majority of Americans are more apprehensive than optimistic about the advancements in AI.

      This anger has been intensified by OpenAI's safety missteps. Altman publicly apologized after it became known that OpenAI did not notify authorities when its systems flagged a ChatGPT user who later executed a school shooting in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, resulting in eight fatalities and 27 injuries. A dozen OpenAI employees reviewed the flagged account, with some recommending reporting it to the police, but management rejected this course of action. Seven families have since filed lawsuits against OpenAI, claiming that ChatGPT acted as a “suicide coach,” with tragic instances of deaths documented in Texas, Georgia, Florida, and Oregon. The discrepancy between the industry’s stated safety measures and