Published May 11, 2026 7:16pm EDT
PORT CANAVERAL, Fla. - Attorneys for the family of a man killed in last year’s mass shooting at Florida State University have filed a federal lawsuit alleging the gunman acted with assistance from an artificial intelligence chatbot.
The case raises broader questions about liability, safeguards and the role of emerging technology in acts of violence.
What we know:
The family of Tiru Chabba, a 45-year-old from Greenville, South Carolina, filed a lawsuit in federal court in Tallahassee against alleged gunman Phoenix Ikner and OpenAI.
The suit claims Ikner used ChatGPT extensively in the months leading up to the April 17, 2025 shooting, which left Chabba and university dining coordinator Robert Morales dead and five others injured.
Court records cited in the complaint indicate Ikner had more than 16,000 interactions with the chatbot over roughly 18 months, including questions about firearms, ammunition and how to maximize casualties on campus.
The lawsuit includes wrongful death and battery claims against Ikner and negligence claims against OpenAI. Ikner, now 21, is scheduled to stand trial in October on two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted first-degree murder.
What we don't know:
It remains unclear how much, if any, of the chatbot’s responses directly influenced Ikner’s actions or decision-making. Investigators have not publicly detailed the full scope of the interactions or whether any responses violated OpenAI’s safety policies at the time.
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It is also uncertain how courts will interpret responsibility when widely available AI tools provide general information that may later be misused.
What they're saying:
The extent to which OpenAI could be held legally liable for user behavior remains an open legal question.
"[Ikner] literally utilized OpenAI and ChatGPT as his co-conspirator, utilized it as a resource to carry out mass murder and there was nothing in place to prevent that from happening," said attorney Bakari Sellers, who represents Chabba’s family. "That’s the inherent danger."
OpenAI disputed the allegations, releasing this statement to FOX 35:
"Last year's mass shooting at Florida State University was a tragedy, but ChatGPT is not responsible for this terrible crime. After learning of the incident, we identified an account believed to be associated with the suspect and proactively shared this information with law enforcement. We continue to cooperate with authorities. In this case, ChatGPT provided factual responses to questions with information that could be found broadly across public sources on the internet, and it did not encourage or promote illegal or harmful activity. ChatGPT is a general-purpose tool used by hundreds of millions of people every day for legitimate purposes. We work continuously to strengthen our safeguards to detect harmful intent, limit misuse, and respond appropriately when safety risks arise," according to spokesman Drew Pusateri.
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier, whose office is conducting a criminal investigation, said, "ChatGPT offered significant advice to the shooter before he committed such heinous crimes."
The backstory:
The shooting unfolded around lunchtime on the Florida State University campus when authorities say Ikner opened fire with a handgun. He was later shot and apprehended by police. Ikner is the son of a Leon County sheriff’s deputy.
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In the aftermath, families of victims began exploring legal avenues, including potential claims against technology companies. A separate attorney representing the family of Robert Morales has also indicated plans to pursue similar litigation.
Timeline:
The shooting occurred on April 17, 2025, prompting an immediate law enforcement response and a prolonged investigation. In April 2026, Florida’s attorney general announced a criminal probe into OpenAI’s involvement.
The Chabba family filed its civil lawsuit in May 2026, more than a year after the attack. Ikner’s criminal trial is currently scheduled to begin in October, while related civil actions are expected to proceed alongside or after the criminal case.
The Source: This story was written based on reporting by the News Service of Florida.