The child was Camila Leon, 8, of Perris, according to the Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner. Next of kin have been notified. The coroner’s file is marked final.

Silvia Corona, 52, of San Jacinto, was identified by the Perris Sheriff’s Station Traffic Reconstruction Team as the suspect in the two-vehicle collision, the department said. The charges described in the sheriff’s release are allegations. Corona has not been convicted.

Deputies from the Perris station responded at 5:36 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15, to the intersection of Ramona Expressway and Rider Street on a report of a major-injury crash involving two vehicles, the sheriff’s release said. The file number is PE262270081.

The coroner listed the time of injury as 5:35 p.m. at that same intersection.

Upon arrival, deputies found five injured people in one of the vehicles, the department said. Two had life-threatening injuries. The driver and sole occupant of the second vehicle was also hurt. All were taken to local hospitals.

One juvenile passenger was later pronounced dead at a hospital, the sheriff’s release said. A second juvenile passenger remained hospitalized in critical condition, according to that account. The department has not issued a later public update on the second child’s condition.

The coroner said Camila died at 6:04 p.m. Aug. 15 at Riverside University Health System, 26520 Cactus Avenue in Moreno Valley. The injury location matches the crash scene. The investigating agency is the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office, Perris Station, under the same file number.

The sheriff’s first account said the identity of the dead child would not be released at that time. The coroner’s office later posted the name.

Perris traffic investigators continued the case and identified Corona as the suspect, the department said. On Aug. 17, she was arrested and booked into the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center for gross vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated and driving under the influence of alcohol causing injury, according to the sheriff’s update.

On Aug. 18, Corona posted bail and was released, the department said. The sheriff’s release does not state the amount of that first bail.

On Aug. 20, the Riverside District Attorney’s Office issued an arrest warrant for an additional charge of second-degree murder, the Sheriff’s Department said. Perris deputies went to Corona’s residence and took her into custody without incident. She was booked into the Cois M. Byrd Detention Center for second-degree murder. Bail was set at $1 million.

The investigation remains open, the department said. No further details would be released at the time of the Aug. 20 update.

Sgt. Evan Bechtold is listed as the reporting supervisor on the Perris station item, titled “Fatal Traffic Collision – Suspect Arrested (Update).”

Anyone with information is asked to call Deputy Joseph Puente at the Perris Sheriff’s Station at (951) 210-1000, or Riverside County Sheriff’s Dispatch at (951) 776-1099.

The post San Jacinto woman held in crash that killed 8-year-old appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The San Jacinto Station conducted a DUI and driver’s license checkpoint from 6 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21, to 2 a.m. Saturday on State Street north of 7th Street, according to a department update posted Aug. 22. Deputies screened 961 vehicles and conducted 10 field sobriety tests, the Sheriff’s Department said.

Besides the five DUI arrests, deputies issued 28 citations for driving without a license and six other Vehicle Code citations, the department said. Two people were arrested on misdemeanor warrants, and 16 vehicles were stored or impounded.

Sgt. Daniel Chico is the reporting supervisor. In an Aug. 17 announcement of the checkpoint, Chico said impaired drivers put others on the road at significant risk.

“Any prevention measures that reduce the number of impaired drivers on our roads significantly improve traffic safety,” Chico said.

The Sheriff’s Office said checkpoint sites are chosen from data on impaired-driving crashes. The stated purpose is public safety — taking suspected impaired drivers off the road, not maximizing arrests.

The Aug. 21 stop was part of a longer Labor Day enforcement window. The San Jacinto Station said additional deputies have been on patrol since Aug. 19 and will remain through Labor Day, Sept. 7, looking for drivers suspected of being under the influence of alcohol or drugs. The extra work is part of the national “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign.

“Enjoying the last days of summer should be all about fun and that starts with making safe choices before making plans,” Deputy Post said in the station’s campaign release. “Everyone deserves to get home safely, and it starts with your everyday actions.”

Citing the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the Sheriff’s Office said 11,904 people were killed in drunk-driving crashes in the United States in 2024 — one person every 44 minutes. Impairment is not limited to alcohol, the department said. Prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications and cannabis products can also impair driving. Recreational and medicinal marijuana are legal in California, the Aug. 17 release noted, but driving under the influence of marijuana is illegal.

A first-time DUI carries an average of $13,500 in fines and penalties and a suspended license, the Sheriff’s Office said.

The Hemet Police Department separately announced extra DUI patrols for the same Aug. 19 through Labor Day period and said it would hold a DUI and driver’s license checkpoint in Hemet from 8 p.m. Aug. 21 to 2 a.m. As of Friday, Aug. 28, Hemet Police had not posted results from that checkpoint.

Both agencies said the enforcement is funded by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through NHTSA. The Sheriff’s Office advised anyone who sees a suspected impaired driver to call 9-1-1.

The post 5 DUI arrests at San Jacinto State Street checkpoint appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

 Among those charged are Bryan Omar Roa, 24, of Calimesa, and Michael Alan Thomas, 32, of Pinon Hills. Also named in the case are Tycen C. Proper, 19, of Danville, Ohio; Daniel K. Eskridge, 32, of Kidder, Missouri; and Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, 31, of Omaha, Nebraska.

 According to federal prosecutors, the group conspired to organize an attack during the UFC Freedom 250 event, allegedly planning to use drones equipped with explosives to trigger panic and force an evacuation. Investigators said the suspects then intended to position snipers to target selected individuals as crowds fled the area.

 The FBI said it became aware of the alleged threat on June 10 and launched an investigation that ultimately led to the arrests and charges.

 Court documents describe a mixture of anti-government beliefs, antisemitic rhetoric and conspiracy theories among members of the group. Investigators said some participants expressed anger over the federal government’s handling of files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and promoted claims involving secret elites controlling the government.

 “Protecting the President of the United States and the White House grounds is priority number one for the U.S. Secret Service,” Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement. “The landscape has changed, and as a result we have seen a dramatic rise in threats against our protectees.”

 Authorities said the investigation gained momentum after Proper’s mother contacted law enforcement with concerns about her son’s recent firearm purchases and online activity.

 Federal investigators allege members of the group communicated through encrypted messaging platforms, where discussions reportedly included targeting elected officials, business leaders and critical infrastructure such as power grids.

 According to an FBI affidavit, Thomas allegedly told investigators the group’s objective was to overthrow the U.S. government. The affidavit states Thomas subscribed to conspiracy theories claiming that powerful individuals secretly controlled government institutions and were being protected by public officials.

 Investigators also cited messages allegedly exchanged in a group chat on June 7. In one message, Thomas reportedly wrote, “$1300 gets us the drones and the charges. Yes we should all pitch in and we need it asap.”

 Federal authorities further allege that Thomas discussed meeting with Roa in Southern California for firearms and marksmanship training. Investigators said messages referenced preparing for what participants described as “gorilla style warfare.”

 During a June 13 search of Thomas’ residence, FBI agents reportedly recovered a rifle, multiple extended-capacity magazines, a pistol and approximately 180 rounds of ammunition.

 A search of Roa’s home and vehicle allegedly uncovered a rifle, handgun, ammunition, tactical gear, a two-way radio and an infrared laser aiming device. Investigators also reported finding messages on Roa’s phone linking him to conversations about the planned attack.

 According to court filings, Roa told agents he intended to attend the event as a protester but said he was unable to travel after experiencing vehicle problems.

 If convicted of conspiracy to commit murder, each defendant could face a maximum sentence of life in federal prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Prosecutors said a separate charge involving conspiracy to commit violence on White House grounds carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

 President Donald Trump attended the UFC Freedom 250 event Sunday, which coincided with his 80th birthday celebration. Trump previously had a social relationship with Jeffrey Epstein years before Epstein’s criminal conduct became public. Epstein died in a New York jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal sex trafficking charges.

Sources: Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Secret Service, federal court filings and charging documents.

The post Two Inland Empire Men Charged in Alleged Plot Targeting UFC Event at White House appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

    The Riverside County Sheriff-Coroner’s Bureau confirmed Monday that the victims were 43-year-old Arthur Fernandez Jr. and his 10-year-old son, Arthur Fernandez, both residents of San Jacinto.

    The fatal crash occurred shortly after noon Friday at the intersection of Domenigoni Parkway and State Street.

    According to Cal Fire Capt. John Clingingsmith, a county fire crew was responding to a vegetation fire along Highway 74 near the western boundary of the San Bernardino National Forest when the collision happened.

    Investigators said the fire engine was traveling north on State Street with its emergency lights and siren activated. At the same time, Fernandez was driving a Mini Cooper westbound on Gibbel Road, which transitions into Domenigoni Parkway at the intersection. Two children were riding in the vehicle with him.

    Fernandez was pronounced dead at the scene. Both children were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment. Authorities later confirmed that the 10-year-old boy succumbed to his injuries. Information regarding the condition of the second juvenile passenger has not been released.

    A fundraising campaign established for the family indicated that Fernandez was also the father of a 5-year-old son. It has not been confirmed whether that child was the other passenger involved in the crash.

    “Arthur was an extraordinary father,” organizers wrote on the GoFundMe page. “Everything he did, every single day, was for his children. He poured his heart and soul into being the best dad possible, leaving behind a beautiful five-year-old son who will now grow up without his father and big brother.”

    The fundraiser also described the family’s grief following the sudden loss and noted that loved ones are facing unexpected funeral and burial expenses.

    By Monday afternoon, donations had climbed to nearly $9,000.

    Three firefighters who were aboard the county engine also suffered injuries in the crash. Officials said their injuries were not considered life-threatening. They were transported to Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar for evaluation and treatment and were later released.

    Emergency personnel from the Hemet Fire Department, Hemet Police Department, California Highway Patrol and additional Riverside County fire units responded to the scene. The busy intersection remained closed for several hours as investigators worked to document evidence and clear the roadway.

    Authorities said there is currently no indication that alcohol or drugs played a role in the collision.

    The California Highway Patrol’s San Gorgonio Pass Area office is leading the investigation. Anyone who witnessed the crash or has information related to the incident is encouraged to contact CHP investigators at 951-846-5300.

    Source: City News Service

The post Father, 10-Year-Old Son Identified in Fatal Hemet Crash Involving Fire Engine appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Rodolfo Garcia, 44, of Perris is charged with first-degree murder, four counts of armed robbery, three counts of kidnapping to commit robbery, two counts each of false imprisonment and firearm assault and one count each of burglary and carjacking.

Pretrial motions in the case wrapped up Thursday at the Southwest Justice Center in Murrieta, where Riverside County Superior Court Judge Johnnetta Anderson ordered multiple panels of prospective jurors to appear Monday for the start of screening as to their availability and qualifications.

Garcia is being held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail.

His former co-defendant and friend from childhood, 34-year-old Jesus Ledesma Guzman of Lancaster, was similarly charged but was killed in a gunfight with U.S. Marshals trying to arrest him in Northern California almost eight years ago.

The men are accused of gunning down Silvano Gutierrez Esteves at his residence in February 2018.

According to a trial brief filed by the District Attorney’s Office, the pair were allegedly part of a “home invasion robbery crew” composed of about a dozen men, who wore ballistic vests and masks, wielded high-capacity rifles and waged campaigns of terror against their targets throughout Southern California.

Guzman was believed to be the ringleader and buried at least five victims around his Lancaster property, according to the brief.

Nearly seven months before the slaying of Esteves, on July 17, 2017, the crew went to a Nuevo home where illegal marijuana was grown and forced their way into the residence in the middle of the night, leveling guns at the half-dozen occupants, including three children, ages 3 to 9 years old, the trial brief alleged.

One of the intruders threatened to rape the young girl in the house unless their demands for money and other valuables were met, according to court papers. Her two male siblings were wrested away from their parents and isolated in a room separate from the adults, who were told the youngsters would be abducted unless everyone cooperated, the brief said.

The robbery crew kicked, struck with rifle butts and shoved the victims to the floor, according to documents.

The victims didn’t resist, surrendering “over $10,000, two horse- mounting chairs, marijuana, a counting machine, a safe, super .38-caliber pistol, jewelry, a (pickup) truck and a van,” the brief said.

The loot was taken to Garcia’s house and divvied up, the prosecution alleged.

According to the brief, Garcia had been at odds with Esteves because the victim believed that the defendant had stolen “large quantities of marijuana” from him. The feud between the men ultimately led to Garcia and an unidentified man appearing in front of the victim’s Monroe Avenue house, brandishing handguns and threatening to kidnap him if he persisted in his antagonism, according to the brief.

A few weeks later, in the predawn hours of Feb. 5, 2018, Garcia and Guzman allegedly stormed the victim’s home, prompting Esteves to hide his wife and son in a closet while he attempted to negotiate with the pair, prosecutors said.

The D.A.’s office alleged the defendants ignored his pleas and “repeatedly shot him, then left without stealing a single item from the home.”

Sheriff’s Sgt. Walter Mendez said a “large amount of marijuana” was found at the location, but hadn’t been touched.

“There was no indication of a robbery, simply a premeditated home invasion assassination,” according to the brief.

Sheriff’s detectives ultimately gathered sufficient evidence pointing to Garcia’s alleged involvement, and by extension, Guzman’s. However, by that time, the latter was under investigation by authorities in Los Angeles County for alleged drug-related killings there, according to prosecutors.

Garcia was arrested without incident on Oct. 29, 2018, in Menifee.

Guzman was tracked down by federal agents in Inyo County, where they attempted to take him into custody for the Menifee killing, as well as killings in northern Los Angeles County, according to Mendez.

He said the fugitive opened fire on the agents, who returned fire and killed him.

Court records show Garcia has prior convictions for felony driving under the influence, auto theft and receiving stolen property.

The post Jury Selection Starts Monday For Trial Of RivCo Man Accused In Deadly Menifee Home Invasion appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Deputies from the Riverside County Sheriff’s Office responded around 10:23 p.m. to the 1300 block of Heron Way after receiving reports of an assault with a deadly weapon.

Upon arrival, deputies discovered evidence of a shooting and located a man suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound. The man was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to investigators, the homeowner had been visiting a nearby residence when he heard screams and gunshots coming from his own home. He immediately returned and encountered an unknown man inside the residence who was armed with a shotgun.

Sheriff’s officials said the homeowner armed himself and confronted the intruder. During the confrontation, the suspect allegedly fired several rounds at the homeowner, who returned fire, striking the intruder.

The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said no other injuries were reported.

As part of the investigation, the homeowner was transported to the San Jacinto Sheriff’s Station for questioning. No arrests have been made.

The identity of the deceased is being withheld pending notification of family members.

The Riverside County Sheriff’s Central Homicide Unit is leading the investigation. Once completed, the case will be forwarded to the Riverside County District Attorney’s Office for review.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is encouraged to contact Central Homicide Investigator Cook at 951-955-2777 or San Jacinto Station Investigator Ghiliotty at 951-654-2702.

The post Homeowner Fatally Shoots Armed Intruder During San Jacinto Home Invasion appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

    Police identified the suspect as Toai Pham, who detectives say was taken into custody on May 8 at a local driving range. After being booked into the Robert Presley Detention Center, Pham was later released and is expected to appear in court on June 23 at the Riverside Superior Courthouse.

    Investigators believe there could be additional victims who have not yet contacted authorities. Riverside Police Detective Steven Espinosa said detectives are encouraging anyone who may have encountered Pham, or someone matching his description, around the Mt. Rubidoux area to come forward.

    “If you have seen Pham or someone with a similar description approaching women around the area of Mt. Rubidoux, we encourage you to come forward,” Espinosa said.

    The investigation began after a woman contacted the department’s Public Safety Communications Center on the morning of March 9 at approximately 8:30 a.m. to report that she had been sexually battered while hiking in the Mt. Rubidoux area.

    According to investigators, detectives later learned that Pham regularly hikes Mt. Rubidoux during the morning hours.

    Police said the victim told investigators that Pham approached her during the hike and allegedly touched her inappropriately without consent.

    Anyone with information related to the investigation is being asked to contact Officer James Payne at (951) 353-7113 or by email at JPayne@RiversideCA.gov.

    Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the Riverside Police Department’s “Atlas 1” mobile app using the department’s secure “Send a Message” feature, which is available on both Apple and Android devices, authorities said.

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Federal prosecutors announced Monday that Eileen Wang, 58, of Arcadia, Calif., has been charged with one count of acting in the U.S. as an illegal agent of a foreign government and is “expected to plead guilty in the coming weeks.” The charge is punishable with up to 10 years in prison. 

“Mayor Wang admitted to acting as a foreign agent from at least 2020 through 2022 – promoting PRC propaganda in the U.S. and acting at PRC’s direction to promote their interests,” FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X. “FBI and our federal partners continue to move aggressively to root out this kind of influence in American institutions all over the country.”

Wang was elected in November 2022 to the five-member Arcadia City Council, where the mayor is selected on a rotating basis. City Manager Dominic Lazzaretto said in a statement Monday that Wang, who became mayor in February, has resigned from the council.

“The allegations at the center of this case, that a foreign government sought to exert influence over a local elected official, are deeply troubling,” Lazzaretto said, though he clarified that the charge against Wang is for actions that ended after her swearing-in, and that, after an internal review, the council can confirm that no Arcadia City finances, staff, or decision-making processes were involved. 

In a statement to the Courthouse News Service, Wang’s attorney Brian Sun said that the California politician “apologizes and is sorry for the mistakes she has made in her personal life,” adding: “Her love and devotion for the Arcadia community have not changed and did not waver.”

The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has a track record of attempting to influence other countries’ affairs to advance its interests. It has meddled in elections, targeted overseas Chinese dissidents, and conducted information and propaganda campaigns, according to government and journalistic reports.

“Individuals in our country who covertly do the bidding of foreign governments undermine our democracy,” said First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli in the Monday announcement, adding that the plea agreement Wang has entered into is “the latest success in our determination to defend the homeland against China’s efforts to corrupt our institutions.” 

Here’s what to know.

Who is Eileen Wang?

Eileen Wang is a Chinese immigrant. According to a 2024 report in the Los Angeles Times, Wang said she moved to Southern California from China three decades ago. Wang told the paper that her mother was a Chinese medicine and acupuncture doctor, while her father was a physician in Sichuan province before working at the University of Southern California.

The LA Times report added that Wang, a mother of two, had been based in Arcadia for about two decades, and was mainly known for running an after-school program in the city called Little Stanford Academy before entering politics. About 59% of Arcadia’s 54,000 population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau, is Asian, while over 42% is ethnically Chinese.

Wang is the former fiancée of Yaoning “Mike” Sun, who was sentenced to four years in federal prison earlier this year for similarly acting as a covert agent for China, including, according to the U.S. Justice Department at the time, while he was serving as a campaign adviser for an unnamed candidate “who was elected to the city council of a Southern California city.” Sun was Wang’s former campaign adviser.

Wang’s case

The charge against Wang was filed on April 1, but court filings, including the plea agreement Wang entered into, were unsealed on Monday. 

According to the unsealed plea agreement, from late 2020 through at least 2022, Wang “coordinated with U.S.-based individuals” for the purpose of “promoting pro-PRC propaganda in the United States.” 

Wang is alleged to have worked with Sun, her then-fiancé, to run a website called U.S. News Center that purported to be a news source for Chinese-Americans. According to the agreement, the two “received and executed directives” from Chinese government officials to post and circulate pro-PRC content on the site. 

The document cites examples. In June 2021, after a Chinese government official contacted Wang and other individuals via messaging platform WeChat about a pre-written essay on Xinjiang, she posted it on her site and received a “thank you” from the official. In August, Wang addressed a Chinese official’s request for edits to the article; then she sent the official a screenshot of the number of views that article had amassed. After the official replied, “Great!” Wang allegedly responded: “Thank you leader.”

In November 2021, Wang communicated with John Chen, who was sentenced in November 2024 to 20 months in federal prison for acting as an illegal agent of the Chinese government in the U.S. and bribing a tax authority agent. Chen, according to court documents, previously attended high-level CCP functions, and had personally met Chinese President Xi Jinping. The plea agreement said that Wang asked Chen to share an article from her website, saying, “This is what the Ministry of Foreign Affairs wants to send.”

Wang admitted in the plea agreement that she did not notify the Attorney General that she was acting in the U.S. as an agent of China, as is required by law, and that she did not disclose that content posted on her website were based on orders from Chinese authorities.

Chinese espionage

The FBI’s website says that China employs “tactics that seek to influence lawmakers and public opinion to achieve policies that are more favorable” to them and called counterintelligence and economic espionage efforts from the Chinese government and the CCP a “grave threat to the economic well-being and democratic values of the United States.”

In 2025, the House Committee on Homeland Security issued a report that found more than 60 cases of Chinese espionage or repression in the U.S. since 2021, including sending sensitive U.S. military information to the Chinese government, stealing trade secrets, and carrying out transnational repression schemes including setting up undercover Chinese police stations–which it has reportedly done worldwide.

In April, the White House also accused China of stealing on an “industrial scale” the intellectual property of U.S. artificial ​intelligence labs, as both countries race to become global leaders of AI. Sen. Chuck Grassley (R, Iowa) said in a statement last month that China steals between $400 billion and $600 billion of IP yearly, or about $5,000 per taxpayer.

China has routinely refuted interference, espionage, and theft accusations. It also denied that it had overseas police stations that collect information on and harass Chinese dissidents living in the U.S. and elsewhere, claiming instead that it had service centers for citizens abroad.

The post California Mayor Resigns, Admitting to Being an Agent for China appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

Angel Baby Cruz of Riverside was arrested last year following a California Highway Patrol investigation into the deadly wreck.

At the end of a preliminary hearing Tuesday, Riverside County Superior Court Judge Timothy Hollenhorst found there was sufficient evidence to bound Cruz over for trial on the murder count, along with a sentence-enhancing allegation of committing a felony offense while on bail.

The judge scheduled a post-preliminary hearing arraignment for May 27 at the Riverside Hall of Justice.

Cruz remains held without bail at the Robert Presley Jail.

According to the CHP, shortly before 5 a.m. April 26, 2025, the defendant was at the wheel of a Mercedes 300 going westbound on the 60 when the sedan went out of control and slammed into the center divider wall between La Rue Street and Rubidoux Boulevard.

“The vehicle then went across all lanes and struck a tree,” Officer Javier Navarro said. “The vehicle became fully engulfed by fire.”

Good Samaritans stopped and went to help Cruz and his front-seat passenger, a young man identified in court documents only as “D.G.”

Navarro said they managed to pull Cruz to safety but couldn’t get to the victim, who was unconscious, before the Mercedes was consumed by the blaze.

“After the Riverside County Fire Department put out the flames, the body was located in the front seat,” the CHP spokesman said.

No one else had been in the car. No other vehicles were involved in the crash.

Cruz underwent treatment at a Riverside hospital for unspecified minor injuries, at which point he was also determined to be intoxicated, Navarro alleged.

The defendant was formally taken into custody without incident. After a brief hospitalization, he was cleared for booking into the downtown Riverside jail.

Cruz has no documented prior felony convictions in Riverside County. There were no details available concerning the circumstances of his prior arrest, or how long he had been on bond leading up to the fatal crash.

The post Trial Ordered For 20-Year-Old Man Charged With Murder In Jurupa Valley DUI Death appeared first on The Hemet & San Jacinto Chronicle.

The lawsuit comes after state authorities disclosed that ChatGPT gave information to the shooter about what time and location would maximize victims on campus, as well as the type of gun and ammunition to use. Authorities say he was also told that an attack can get more media attention if children are involved.

“OpenAI knew this would happen. It’s happened before and it was only a matter of time before it happened again,” Vandana Joshi, whose husband Tiru Chabba was one of two people killed, said in a statement Monday. Six people were also wounded.

The lawsuit, filed Sunday in federal court, says OpenAI should have built ChatGPT with guardrails to let someone know that police may need to investigate “to prevent a specific plan for imminent harm to the public.”

OpenAI has denied any wrongdoing in what it called a “terrible crime.”

“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,” Drew Pusateri, a spokesman for the company, said in an email to The Associated Press.

Separately, in April, Florida’s attorney general said there was a rare criminal investigation into ChatGPT over whether the AI tool offered advice to Phoenix Ikner that enabled the April 2025 shooting in Tallahassee. The 21-year-old has pleaded not guilty to two counts of first-degree murder and several counts of attempted murder. Prosecutors intend to seek the death penalty.

Investigators said Ikner, a Florida State student, was on campus for an hour before he walked in and out of campus buildings and green spaces while firing a handgun. The shooting took place on a weekday just before lunchtime near the school’s Student Union, which has food and shops. The lawsuit says Ikner asked ChatGPT about the busiest times there.

Joshi’s husband, a 45-year-old father of two from Greenville, South Carolina, was a regional vice president of the food service vendor Aramark Collegiate Hospitality. The other man who was killed, Robert Morales, 57, was a campus dining coordinator at Florida State.

OpenAI “put their profits over our safety and it killed my husband. They need to be responsible before another family has to go through this,” Joshi said in a statement released by her lawyer.

OpenAI is currently valued at $852 billion.

Several lawsuits have sought damages from AI and tech companies over the influence of chatbots and social media on loved ones’ mental health.

In March, a jury in Los Angeles found both Meta and YouTube liable for harms to children using their services. In New Mexico, a jury determined that Meta knowingly harmed children’s mental health and concealed what it knew about child sexual exploitation on its platforms.

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