TALLAHASSEE, FL (WTXL) — Two students injured in the April 2025 mass shooting at Florida State University have filed federal lawsuits against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman, alleging the company failed to implement safeguards that could have prevented the chatbot from helping the shooter plan his attack.
The release states Elizabeth Mall and Madison Askins are the first plaintiffs in civil lawsuits arising from the FSU shooting to seek punitive damages from OpenAI.
On April 17, 2025, suspected gunman Phoenix Ikner reportedly shot eight people on the university's Tallahassee campus. Two of those victims died from their injuries.
The release states Ikner allegedly used ChatGPT multiple times in the days and hours before the shooting, asking questions and allegedly receiving detailed answers on topics including how to obtain maximum media attention for the attack he was planning, how to operate the weapons he used, and the busiest times at the campus building he targeted.
The lawsuits allege OpenAI failed to implement adequate safety systems, warnings, monitoring, user restrictions, human review, escalation protocols, crisis interventions, or account-level safeguards.
ChatGPT was allegedly designed to escalate conversations involving the imminent threat of serious physical harm to a team of human reviewers. In Ikner's case, however, the language model allegedly failed to "connect the dots" about his violent intentions and did not do so.
The lawsuits also claim OpenAI's conduct was grossly negligent and consciously disregarded the lives, safety, and rights of FSU students, including Mall and Askins.
Morgan & Morgan founder John Morgan and attorney Christian Leger issued a statement on the lawsuits.
"OpenAI's alleged negligence in these cases is the latest example of a company valuing growth and profits over public safety. We are seeking justice for the severe physical and mental trauma our clients have suffered and accountability from OpenAI and Sam Altman for their alleged negligence. Our clients, two young students who have had their lives disrupted and their sense of safety shattered, hope their lawsuit compels OpenAI to do better and protect people from the dangers of their products going forward," Morgan and Leger said.
This lawsuit is one of several that OpenAI is facing, including one from the state of Florida.
This story has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Want to see more local news? Visit the WTXL ABC 27 Website.
Stay in touch with us anywhere, anytime.
