The man accused of attacking Sam Altman’s home is facing 2 counts of attempted murder

The man accused of throwing a Molotov cocktail at the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been charged with trying to kill Altman and a security guard at the residence, San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said Monday.

Authorities suspect Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, threw a firecracker around 4 a.m. Friday and set fire to the outside gate of Altman’s home before fleeing on foot, police said. Less than an hour later, Moreno-Gama allegedly went to the OpenAI headquarters a few kilometers away and reportedly threatened to set fire to the building.

Moreno-Gama opposes artificial intelligence, writing about the danger AI poses to humanity and our “imminent extinction,” according to court documents.

“This was no accident. This was planned, targeted and very serious,” said Matt Cobo, FBI San Francisco acting special agent in charge, during a news conference.

State and federal fees

Moreno-Gama faces charges including two counts of attempted murder and two counts of attempted arson in California state court. He hasn’t had a chance to enter a plea, and online county court records don’t show if he has an attorney.

Jenkins said the federal charges carry penalties ranging from 19 years to life in prison.

On Monday morning, FBI agents went to Moreno-Gama’s home in Spring, Texas, a suburb of Houston, where he spent several hours before leaving. He was charged by federal prosecutors with possessing an unregistered firearm and causing damage and destruction of property using explosives. Those charges carry penalties of up to 10 years and 20 years in prison.

Federal court documents do not list an attorney for Moreno-Gama, and he has yet to make an initial appearance in federal court.

Neighbors of the Houston home described the homeowners as “very nice people” who were involved with their church.

Altman, OpenAI confirms that it is targeted

The federal criminal complaint did not name Altman or OpenAI but both confirmed they were victims of the attack. No injuries were reported.

Authorities say Moreno-Gama traveled from his home in Texas to San Francisco and visited Altman’s home early Friday morning.

“Actions against technology companies are not only domestic crimes, they have a major impact on economic security and public safety,” said Cobo.

When Moreno-Gama was arrested on Friday, officials found a document on him that “expressed views against artificial intelligence (AI) and the management of various AI companies,” court documents said. The document discussed the threat AI posed to humanity and our “imminent extinction,” according to the criminal complaint.

Surveillance video footage included in the criminal complaint shows a man wearing black pants and pants that the FBI suspects is Moreno-Gama approaching the driveway of Altman’s home. In various photos, a person can be seen throwing a Molotov cocktail, which landed on top of the metal gate and started a small fire.

Surveillance video footage from outside the OpenAI headquarters allegedly shows Moreno-Gama holding a chair and using it to slam a set of glass doors. Authorities said Moreno-Gama was contacted by the building’s security guards, who told investigators that he “stated briefly” that he came to the headquarters “to burn it down and kill anyone inside,” according to the complaint.

‘Incendiary devices’ found by police

San Francisco police arrested Moreno-Gama and found “flammable materials, a jug of kerosene, a blue light and a document.” Moreno-Gama was booked into the San Francisco County Jail on Monday on federal charges, and is expected to appear in court on Tuesday.

U.S. Attorney Craig Missakian said authorities “will treat this as domestic terrorism, and in cooperation with our partners, prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law.”

A text in which Moreno-Gama discussed his opposition to AI also intimidated Altman, officials said.

“And if I am going to advocate for others to kill and commit crimes, I must set an example and show that I am fully sincere in my message,” Moreno-Gama is accused by the authorities of writing in the document.

Advocacy groups have issued dire warnings about the dangers of AI to society and condemned violence.

Anthony Aguirre, president and CEO of the Future of Life Institute, said in a written statement Friday that “violence and intimidation of any kind have no place in the conversation about the future of AI.”

Another group, PauseAI, said in a statement that the suspect was not a member of the group but joined its Discord forum about two years ago and posted about 34 messages, including one that contained calls for violence but was marked as “mysterious.”

Discord said Monday it had banned Moreno-Gama for “off-field behavior.”

Hours after her home was attacked, Altman posted a photo of her husband and their young child on a blog about the threats she was facing.

“Usually we try to be private, but this time I’m sharing the photo in hopes that we can stop the next person from throwing a Molotov cocktail at our house, no matter what you think of me,” Altman wrote.

He added that “the fear and concern about AI is justified” but it was important to “reduce the rhetoric and tactics and try to bomb fewer homes, figuratively and literally.”