San Francisco police have arrested a 20-year-old man in connection with a Molotov cocktail incident at the Russian Hill residence of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman early Friday morning. The San Francisco Standard reported that the event, captured by surveillance cameras shortly before 7 AM ET, was followed by a subsequent incident later that morning. A person matching the suspect’s description was reportedly seen making threats outside OpenAI’s Mission Bay offices, where the individual was apprehended around 9 AM ET.
OpenAI spokesperson Jamie Radice confirmed the incident in a statement provided to The Verge, noting, “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 individual is in custody, and we’re assisting law enforcement with their investigation.”
The San Francisco Police Department issued a post on X on Friday, detailing what appears to be the same event. The post stated that a suspect was “threatening to burn down the building” outside a business located in “the 1400 block of 3rd street,” a location consistent with OpenAI’s headquarters at 1455 3rd Street. Authorities also indicated that the investigation is ongoing and “charges are still pending at this time.” The SFPD did not immediately respond to requests for additional comments.
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