Suspect in Sam Altman Molotov cocktail plot cries meltdown, not attempted murder, as judge keeps him locked up

A Texas antheral accused of firebombing OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s location was held without bail Tuesday arsenic his lawyer claimed helium was successful a intelligence wellness crisis.

Daniel Moreno-Gama, 20, appeared successful a San Francisco courtroom but did not participate a plea connected aggregate charges, including attempted murder. A justice granted a hold successful his arraignment, and helium is owed backmost successful tribunal May 5.

His nationalist defender, Diamond Ward, pushed backmost hard connected the prosecution’s case, saying Moreno-Gama has autism and was experiencing an "acute intelligence wellness crisis" astatine the clip of the alleged attack.

"This lawsuit is simply a spot crime, astatine best," Ward said, accusing prosecutors of overcharging her lawsuit and suggesting the charges were influenced by Altman’s precocious profile.

HEIRS OF MOTHER STRANGLED BY SON ACCUSE CHATGPT OF MAKING HIM DELUSIONAL IN LAWSUIT AGAINST OPENAI, MICROSOFT

Daniel Moreno-Gama, accused of targeting OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, appears successful tribunal successful San Francisco. (KTVU)

Prosecutors accidental the onslaught was thing but minor.

Authorities allege Moreno-Gama traveled from Texas to San Francisco successful a planned, targeted effort to termination the OpenAI CEO. Early Friday morning, helium allegedly hurled a Molotov cocktail astatine Altman’s home, mounting an exterior gross connected occurrence earlier fleeing connected foot. No 1 was injured, and officials person not said whether Altman was location astatine the time.

Less than an hr later, investigators accidental Moreno-Gama showed up astatine OpenAI’s office astir 3 miles away, wherever helium allegedly threatened to pain the gathering down and termination anyone inside. Surveillance video captured him throwing a seat astatine the solid doors, according to police.

FBI RAIDS TEXAS HOME OF SUSPECT ACCUSED OF THROWING MOLOTOV COCKTAIL AT SAM ALTMAN'S SAN FRANCISCO HOUSE

The location of Sam Altman is seen from Chestnut Street successful San Francisco connected April 10, 2026. (Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle)

He was arrested extracurricular the building, wherever authorities accidental helium was carrying a jug of kerosene, a lighter and writings outlining his hostility toward artificial intelligence.

Sources acquainted with the probe antecedently told Fox News the fishy was carrying what they described arsenic a manifesto — a multi-part papers that included a database of AI executives and investors, on with their names and addresses.

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"This was not spontaneous. This was planned, targeted and highly serious," FBI San Francisco Acting Special Agent successful Charge Matt Cobo said.

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Daniel Moreno-Gama appears successful tribunal arsenic helium faces attempted execution and arson charges successful transportation to the Sam Altman attack. (KTVU)

San Francisco District Attorney Brooke Jenkins has charged Moreno-Gama with 2 counts of attempted murder, alleging helium targeted some Altman and a information defender astatine the residence, on with aggregate arson-related offenses. She has said the charges transportation imaginable penalties ranging from 19 years to beingness successful prison.

Federal prosecutors person besides filed charges, including possession of an unregistered firearm and demolition of spot utilizing explosives, which could adhd decades to immoderate condemnation if helium is convicted.

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"We are astatine the opening of this investigation, but if the grounds shows that Mr. Moreno-Gama executed these attacks to alteration nationalist argumentation oregon to coerce authorities oregon different officials, we volition dainty this arsenic an enactment of home terrorism," U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of California Craig Missakian said Monday.

Meanwhile, FBI agents raided Moreno-Gama’s location successful Spring, Texas, connected Monday, with Fox News connected the crushed arsenic agents collected grounds for respective hours.

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Daniel Moreno-Gama stands successful tribunal with a lawman arsenic helium faces charges tied to the alleged onslaught connected Sam Altman’s location and threats against OpenAI. (KTVU)

Officials accidental the suspect’s writings besides included threats against different leaders successful the artificial quality industry, raising broader concerns astir escalating rhetoric surrounding the rapidly evolving technology.

Even groups that person warned astir the risks of AI condemned the violence. The Future of Life Institute said intimidation has "no place" successful the debate, portion PauseAI said the fishy had nary ceremonial ties to the organization.

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Prosecutors, however, are framing the lawsuit arsenic a wide warning, urging cooler nationalist sermon arsenic tensions astir artificial quality proceed to rise.

Fox News' Brooke Taylor, Greg Wehner, and the Associated Press contributed to this report.