San Francisco Police they arrested a man early Friday morning for allegedly attacking the house of the CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman and made threats outside the company’s headquarters, a spokesperson confirmed to WIRED. The company’s OpenAI security team sent out a note to employees about the incident on Friday.
“At approximately 3:45 a.m. PT, an unknown person approached Sam’s residence and fired an incendiary device toward the property. The device landed nearby and was extinguished. There were no injuries and only minor damage was reported,” the message to staff read.
“A short time later, a person matching the suspect’s description contacted security outside MB1,” the message continues, referring to OpenAI’s headquarters in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood. “This person made threatening statements about the building.”
OpenAI’s corporate security team told employees that it is cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation, and that employees may see increased police and security around the office on Friday. The security team said the company’s offices remained open, but employees were advised “not to allow anyone to enter the building.”
“Early this morning, someone threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s home and also made threats at our San Francisco headquarters. Fortunately, no one was injured,” OpenAI spokeswoman Kayla Wood said in an email to WIRED. “We are very appreciative of how quickly SFPD responded and the assistance from the city in helping to keep our employees safe. The individual is in custody, and we are assisting law enforcement in their investigation.”
The San Francisco Police Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This is an ongoing story. Please check back for updates.
