\n ‘If ChatGPT Were A Person, It Would Be Facing Charges For Murder’ \u2014 FSU Victim\u2019s Family Sues OpenAI | Image by DX <\/p>\n
The family of a man killed in the 2025 mass shooting at Florida State University has filed a federal lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging its ChatGPT chatbot contributed to the attack by encouraging and assisting the accused gunman.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit was filed<\/a> on Sunday in Florida by Vandana Joshi, the widow of Tiru Chabba, who was killed in the April 2025 shooting<\/a> alongside university dining director Robert Morales. Six other people were wounded in the attack.<\/p>\n The complaint names<\/a> alleged gunman Phoenix Ikner as a defendant and claims he engaged in extensive conversations with ChatGPT in the months leading up to the shooting. According to the lawsuit, Ikner used the chatbot to discuss firearms, mass shootings, extremist ideologies, and the logistics of carrying out an attack.<\/p>\n Attorneys for Chabba\u2019s family allege ChatGPT \u201cinflamed and encouraged\u201d Ikner\u2019s delusions and helped him plan details of the shooting, including identifying peak traffic times at the university\u2019s student union.<\/p>\n The lawsuit claims Ikner uploaded images of firearms to ChatGPT and received information about operating them. According to the complaint, the chatbot allegedly told him a Glock handgun was meant to be fired \u201cquick to use under stress\u201d and advised him to keep his finger off the trigger until he was ready to shoot.<\/p>\n The suit also alleges ChatGPT discussed how shootings involving children or multiple victims are more likely to draw national media attention. On the day of the attack, the complaint states, Ikner asked about possible sentencing and incarceration outcomes.<\/p>\n Investigators say Ikner began the shooting at approximately 11:57 a.m. after allegedly being told weekday lunch hours between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. were among the busiest times at the student union.<\/p>\n Ikner has pleaded<\/a> not guilty. His trial is scheduled to begin in October.<\/p>\n During a Monday news conference announcing the lawsuit, attorney Bakari Sellers accused<\/a> OpenAI of prioritizing profits over public safety.<\/p>\n \u201cThe unique thing about this is we are not going to allow the American public to have clinic run on them by OpenAI and ChatGPT,\u201d Sellers said, NBC News reported.<\/p>\n Joshi also criticized the company in a statement released Monday.<\/p>\n \u201cOpenAI knew this would happen. It\u2019s happened before and it was only a matter of time before it happened again,\u201d she said, per NBC News. \u201cBut they chose to put their profits over our safety and it killed my husband. They need to be responsible before another family has to go through this.\u201d<\/p>\n