The San Francisco Police Department (SFPD) has arrested a 20-year-old suspect following an early morning arson attack on the private residence of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.
According to official reports, the incident occurred around 4:12 a.m. on Friday, when an unknown male threw an incendiary device identified as a Molotov cocktail at the exterior gate of Altman’s $27 million North Beach home. The device ignited a brief fire at the gate before the suspect fled the scene on foot. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the fire resulted in only minimal structural damage.
The situation escalated just an hour later when police responded to a call at OpenAI’s Mission Bay headquarters. Officers discovered the same individual making verbal threats to “burn down” the corporate facility. Recognising him from descriptions provided at the residence, officers immediately detained the suspect. Charges are currently pending as the investigation continues.
In a rare and personal response, Sam Altman broke his usual privacy by sharing a photo of his partner and child on his blog. “I am sharing a photo in the hopes that it might dissuade the next person from throwing a Molotov cocktail at our house, no matter what they think about me,” Altman wrote. He also noted that the attack comes during a period of “great anxiety about AI,” following what he described as an “incendiary” article about his work.
OpenAI confirmed the incident and thanked the SFPD for their swift response.
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