Lawsuit alleges ChatGPT aided Florida State University shooting
Attorneys for a victim killed in an April 2025 shooting at Florida State University plan to sue ChatGPT, alleging the accused gunman had constant communication with the chatbot and that it may have advised him on how to commit the attack. Court records reportedly show over 270 AI photos and ChatGPT conversations as exhibits in the case.
What happened
On April 17, 2025, Phoenix Ikner opened fire on Florida State University's campus, killing Robert Morales and Tiru Chabba. Court records show more than 270 AI photos and ChatGPT conversations listed as exhibits in the case, referenced in the state's answer to discovery filings dated July 31, 2025.
Attorneys for Robert Morales's family plan to file a lawsuit against ChatGPT and its ownership structure, stating they 'have reason to believe that ChatGPT may have advised the shooter how to commit these heinous crimes' and that the shooter was in 'constant communication' with the chatbot before the shooting.
Reported impact
Two people were killed in the shooting at Florida State University.
Index analysis
John Creamer, deputy executive director for the Florida Deputy Sheriffs' Association, stated that AI and ChatGPT can 'reinforce an already unstable mind' and expressed concern that such systems could push vulnerable individuals 'down a road to do something that's unprecedented.' He noted that law enforcement needs to monitor AI outputs and that human eyes must review what the computer generates.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.