Man charged in Molotov cocktail attack on OpenAI CEO Sam Altman home

A 20-year-old Texas man is facing federal and state charges after prosecutors said he traveled to San Francisco with the intent to kill OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, then hurled a Molotov cocktail at Altman’s home and moved on to OpenAI’s headquarters.

Authorities said Daniel Moreno-Gama, of Spring, Texas, arrived in San Francisco before the early morning attack on April 10, 2026. Court records say he was caught on video surveillance outside Altman’s home around 4 a.m., where he allegedly set an exterior gate on fire, fled on foot and was later found with kerosene in his backpack. Police said no one was injured.

About an hour later, officers detained Moreno-Gama outside OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters. Prosecutors said he allegedly threatened to burn down the building and tried to strike the glass with a chair. Investigators described the attack as a direct escalation from a residential target to the company’s front door.

Federal prosecutors charged Moreno-Gama with possession of an unregistered firearm and damage and destruction of property by means of explosives. Local prosecutors also charged him with attempted murder and attempted arson. San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins said those state charges carry penalties ranging from 19 years to life in prison.

Investigators said they found a document allegedly written by Moreno-Gama that expressed anti-AI views, described artificial intelligence as a threat to humanity and referred to “our impending extinction.” The document also reportedly listed names and addresses of apparent board members, CEOs of AI companies and investors, raising fresh concern about how hostility toward artificial intelligence can spill into personal targeting of the people leading the industry.

FBI San Francisco Acting Special Agent in Charge Matt Cobo called the episode “planned, targeted and extremely serious,” and warned that attacks on technology companies can have broader implications for economic security and public safety. OpenAI said, “Thankfully, no one was hurt,” and thanked the San Francisco Police Department for its rapid response and help in keeping employees safe.

The attack landed at a moment when OpenAI is already under intense scrutiny, from criticism over a Department of Defense deal to competition with Anthropic and Elon Musk’s lawsuit against Altman and the company. Separate from the April 10 case, two people were arrested after an apparent shooting at Altman’s home on April 13, deepening concern over the security risks surrounding one of the most visible figures in artificial intelligence.