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A 20-year-old man has been arrested after allegedly throwing a Molotov cocktail at the San Francisco home of Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, and making threats at the company’s headquarters early on Friday (April 10), according to the San Francisco Police Department and multiple company spokespersons.
Police responded to a fire investigation at around 4:12 a.m. at Altman's North Beach residence, where an incendiary device was thrown at the property, causing a fire at an exterior gate. Officers said the suspect fled on foot, and no injuries were reported. The fire was contained to the gate, and there was minimal damage, as detailed by SFPD spokesperson Allison Maxie and an OpenAI statement to SFGATE.
Less than an hour later, officers were called to OpenAI’s headquarters in the Mission Bay neighborhood, after reports that a man was threatening to burn down the building. Police recognized the man as the same individual from the earlier incident and detained him at the scene.
OpenAI spokesperson Jamie Radice said, "Early this morning, someone threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman's home and also made threats at our San Francisco headquarters. Thankfully, no one was hurt. We deeply appreciate how quickly SFPD responded and the support from the city in helping keep our employees safe." The company is cooperating with law enforcement, and employees have been notified of increased police and security presence, according to a staff communication shared with WIRED.
Police said charges against the suspect are still pending and the investigation is ongoing. The OpenAI offices remain open, with employees advised to be aware of increased security measures. This incident follows recent heightened security concerns at OpenAI due to previous threats and protests.