In the early hours of Friday morning, a San Francisco man found himself in police custody after allegedly launching a Molotov cocktail at the upscale residence of Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI.
The suspect, a 20-year-old whose identity has not been disclosed, reportedly ignited a fire by hurling the incendiary device at the property’s gate. The incident occurred shortly after 4 a.m., prompting the San Francisco Police Department to launch a swift investigation as the perpetrator made a quick escape on foot.
It remains unclear whether Altman, aged 40, was present at his home during the attack. The mansion, a lavish $27 million property nestled in the Russian Hill neighborhood on Lombard Street, boasts luxurious amenities such as a wellness center, an infinity pool, and an underground garage equipped with a car turntable, according to a report by The San Francisco Standard.
In a related incident less than an hour later, authorities responded to a disturbance at OpenAI’s headquarters on 3rd Street. A man allegedly threatened to set the building ablaze, triggering another police intervention.
Upon arrival, officers identified the individual as the same suspect from the earlier attack on Altman’s mansion. He was promptly apprehended, bringing a swift resolution to the morning’s events.
Police recognized the man to be the same suspect from the incident at Altman’s mansion and immediately took him into custody.
Charges were still pending as of Friday morning, police said. The attack remained under investigation.
An OpenAI spokesperson told the Daily Mail that ‘someone threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s home and also made threats at our San Francisco headquarters’ but that ‘thankfully, no one was hurt.’
Sam Altman’s Lombard Street mansion was targeted in an alleged Molotov cocktail attack early Friday, according to San Francisco police
A photo of the unidentified man, first obtained by the San Francisco Standard, was caught by surveillance cameras
An OpenAI spokesperson confirmed to the Daily Mail that ‘someone threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s home’ but that no one had been injured
It was not immediately clear whether OpenAI CEO Altman, 40, was home at the time of the attack
‘We deeply appreciate how quickly SFPD responded and the support from the city in helping keep our employees safe,’ a company spokeswoman told the outlet.
OpenAI added: ‘The individual is in custody, and we’re assisting law enforcement with their investigation.’
Images taken of Altman’s house after the incident showed multiple security cameras.
The unidentified man was caught by surveillance footage and a photo showing him outside Altman’s home was first obtained by the San Francisco Standard.
No injuries were reported after the alleged attack, San Francisco police confirmed.
Few details have been released about the incident so far by authorities, who only said their investigation determined that officers had ‘probable cause to place a 20-year-old male under arrest.’
OpenAI employees were told that the suspect threw the Molotov cocktail at Altman’s home around 3.45am, The New York Times reported.
The company said it would increase police presence around its offices following the firebomb incident.
OpenAI is best known for developing ChatGPT, the artificial intelligence chatbot that has quickly grown into one of the internet’s most used and visited websites.
Altman has not yet commented on the Molotov cocktail attack.
A spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department told the Daily Mail on Friday at 4.20pm ET that there were no further updates to provide about the incident.
Altman previously claimed in a 2024 lawsuit that his high-end San Francisco home was a ‘lemon’ that was ‘plagued by instances of poor workmanship and defects’
Security cameras could be seen outside Altman’s luxurious Russian Hill mansion, which was allegedly attacked early Friday
OpenAI’s headquarters, which have previously been the site of anti-artificial intelligence protests, were also allegedly targeted by the unidentified 20-year-old man
In a 2024 lawsuit, Altman claimed that his high-end San Francisco home was actually a dud ‘plagued by instances of poor workmanship and defects.’
The OpenAI chief filed a suit against the home’s developer through a corporation, claiming he ‘was misled into buying a $27 million lemon.’
An Architectural Digest tour of the mansion showed a separate wellness cottage and a garage with a ‘turntable’ for cars that emerges out of a ‘Batcave’ tunnel.
As a whole, the roughly 9,500-square-foot mansion includes five bedrooms and six-and-a-half bathrooms.
The home spans an entire block on Lombard Street in the Russian Hill neighborhood.
The lower level includes a four-sided Norwegian stone pool, while the guest house features vaulted ceilings, a sauna and a steam room with custom stone benches.
A hot tub deck with an outdoor shower and splendid views of the city can be enjoyed outside.
