Lawsuit claims ChatGPT linked to FSU shooting
Lawyers representing a victim of the 2025 shooting at Florida State University say they intend to file a lawsuit alleging that the gunman may have used the chatbot ChatGPT in the lead-up to the attack, Qazinform News Agency correspondent reports.
The legal team from Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney and Hobbs represents the family of Robert Morales, a 57-year-old who was killed when the suspected shooter, Phoenix Ikner, opened fire on campus on April 17, 2025.
In statements shared publicly, attorneys Ryan Hobbs and Dean LeBoeuf said they had been informed that the suspect was in “constant communication” with ChatGPT prior to the shooting.
They also said they believe the chatbot may have provided guidance on how to carry out the attack, though no specific evidence was detailed.
The lawyers said they plan to file suit against ChatGPT and its developer, OpenAI, seeking to hold them accountable for what they described as the “untimely and senseless” death of their client.
The shooting left two people dead and six others injured. The second victim was Tiru Chabba, a 45-year-old father from South Carolina.
No further details about the planned lawsuit or the alleged interactions with the chatbot were immediately available.
Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that the 20-year-old son of a sheriff’s deputy opened fire at Florida State University with his mother’s former service weapon, killing two people.