A suspect is arrested for throwing a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s home

San Francisco Police An individual was arrested early Friday morning for allegedly attacking the home of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and making threats outside the company’s headquarters, an OpenAI spokesperson confirmed to WIRED. OpenAI’s corporate security team sent a memo to employees about the incident on Friday.

“At approximately 3:45 a.m. PT, an unknown individual approached Sam’s home and threw an incendiary device toward the property. The device landed nearby and was extinguished. There were no injuries and only minor damage was reported,” the letter to employees said.

“Shortly after, security contacted an individual matching the description of the suspect outside MB1,” she said, referring to OpenAI’s headquarters in San Francisco’s Mission Bay neighborhood. “This individual 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 notice an increased police and security presence around the office on Friday. The security team said the company’s offices remained open, but employees were advised “not to allow anyone into the building.”

The San Francisco Police Department did not respond to a request for comment. At approximately 4:12 a.m., officers responded to a fire investigation in San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood, police said in a statement shared on social media. An “incendiary device” was thrown at a residential property, setting the outer gate on fire. The suspect fled on foot.

Less than an hour later, a person identified by police as the same suspect was found outside OpenAI’s offices threatening to burn down the building. Security forces stopped the suspect, an unidentified 20-year-old young man, and arrested him at the scene.

No injuries were reported, and charges remain pending, SFPD said in the release.

“Early this morning, someone threw a Molotov cocktail at Sam Altman’s home and also made threats toward our San Francisco headquarters. Fortunately, no one was hurt,” Kayla Wood, an OpenAI spokeswoman, said in an email to WIRED. “We greatly appreciate how quickly the SFPD responded and the support the city is providing to help keep our employees safe. “This individual is in custody, and we are assisting law enforcement with their investigation.”

This is the latest incident in which OpenAI’s office and employees have been threatened. In November last year, OpenAI closed its San Francisco office after an alleged threat from an activist. In February 2025, protesters were arrested for blocking the front doors of an OpenAI office.

Lauren Good contributed reporting.