A shooter killed two people during a Florida college rampage, but a his attorney claims a popular chatbot helped plan the whole thing

A victim’s attorney is gearing up to file a lawsuit against OpenAI, the creators of ChatGPT, alleging that the popular chatbot may have played a role in planning a deadly shooting rampage at Florida State University in April 2025. This is a pretty wild claim, and it definitely raises some serious questions about AI’s potential misuse.

The law firm Brooks, LeBoeuf, Foster, Gwartney and Hobbs is representing the family of Robert Morales, a 57-year-old Aramark worker and father who was tragically killed in the shooting. They believe the alleged shooter, Phoenix Ikner, was in “constant communication with ChatGPT” leading up to the incident, according to New York Post.

The firm stated they have reason to believe the AI “may have advised the shooter how to commit these heinous crimes.” If this holds up, it’s a terrifying thought about how bad actors could exploit powerful AI tools. The firm plans to “seek to hold them accountable for the untimely and senseless death of our client, Mr. Morales.”

Wait, ChatGPT is being dragged into this now?

Court records show there are more than 270 images of ChatGPT conversations listed as exhibits in the case. However, the specific content of these messages hasn’t been revealed yet. This scrutiny mirrors a tragic situation where AI was accused of fueling a user’s delusions, leading him to kill his mother and himself. You can imagine everyone is going to be incredibly interested to see what those conversations entail, if they ever become public.

For its part, OpenAI has stated it “identified a ChatGPT account believed to be associated with the suspect” shortly after the shooting. They also confirmed that they “proactively shared this information with law enforcement and cooperated with authorities.” A spokesperson for OpenAI emphasized that they built ChatGPT to understand people’s intent and respond in a safe and appropriate way, adding that they continue to improve their technology.

It’s clear they’re trying to distance themselves from any culpability while highlighting their cooperation with the investigation. The shooting itself happened before noon on April 17, 2025, outside FSU’s student union. Phoenix Ikner, who was a student at the public college at the time, opened fire, killing Robert Morales of Tallahassee and Tiru Chabba, a 45-year-old Aramark vendor from Greenville, South Carolina. Six other students were also wounded in the rampage.

Ikner used a service pistol that belonged to his stepmother, Leon County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jessica Ikner. He also had a shotgun with him, but it doesn’t appear he used it during the attack. Police quickly responded, shooting Ikner and leaving his face badly disfigured before taking him into custody. He’s currently facing charges that include first-degree murder and attempted murder.

The motive for the shooting remains unclear, and investigators have stated that Ikner didn’t seem to have any connections to his victims. Interestingly, Morales’ lawyers aren’t just looking at OpenAI. In a letter sent to the Leon County Sheriff’s Office in September, they suggested the LCSO could also be held liable.

The firm pointed out that Ikner had participated in the LCSO’s Youth Advisory Council, where he was allegedly taught about firearms. The lawyers believe Ikner displayed behavior during his time with the council that should have raised concerns. They explicitly stated, “Mr. Ikner was not mentally stable and should not be around guns, much less taught how to use them.”

The law firm concluded that the Leon County Sheriff’s Office’s handling of Ikner “was at least part of the cause of the murder of Mr. Robert Morales.”