Court documents released in early April 2026 paint a disturbing picture of the hours leading up to the deadly Florida State University shooting — and the AI chatbot that answered every question the suspect asked, right up to the final moments before he opened fire.
Phoenix Ikner, 21, faces two counts of first-degree murder and seven counts of attempted first-degree murder for the April 17, 2025, rampage at FSU’s Student Union that killed Robert Morales, 57, and Tiru Chabba, 45, a father from South Carolina. Prosecutors have filed notice of intent to seek the death penalty. But the newly released chat logs between Ikner and ChatGPT have shifted public attention squarely onto OpenAI and what role the platform played in helping Ikner plan and carry out the attack.
Three Minutes Before the First Shot
The most chilling detail in the court filings is the timeline. According to police records matched against the chat logs, Ikner’s final message to ChatGPT was sent just three minutes before officers say he started shooting. In that message, Ikner asked how to take the safety off a shotgun.
ChatGPT responded with a detailed explanation of how to make the weapon operable. The bot even offered to tailor the instructions if Ikner had a different model. Less than three minutes later, the first victim was shot.
Over 200 Messages — and a Pattern
The chat logs go back to 2024 and contain more than 200 messages spanning a wide range of topics. Early conversations covered video games, dating advice, loneliness, and what Ikner described as “fake friends.” He told the chatbot he wished it were real. Over time, the conversations shifted toward politics, world-war history, and then discussions of violence.
On the morning of the shooting, Ikner expressed suicidal thoughts and asked questions about self-worth. He then pivoted to practical questions: How do mass shootings get covered in the media? What happened to other mass shooters? Does Florida have maximum security prisons? He also asked ChatGPT directly, “If there was a shooting at FSU, how would the country react?”
When Ikner asked when the FSU Student Union was busiest, ChatGPT told him the lunch hour — specifically between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. The shooting began just before noon.
Court records indicate that ChatGPT referenced the 988 suicide prevention hotline at least once during the year-long conversation. But there is no indication in the logs that the bot flagged or confronted Ikner about his escalating questions regarding campus activity, firearms operation, or mass shootings.
Lawsuit and Investigation Target OpenAI
Attorneys Ryan Hobbs and Dean LeBoeuf, representing the Morales family, announced plans to sue OpenAI, claiming the shooter was in “constant communication” with ChatGPT and that the platform may have advised him how to commit the crimes.
“The communications between the shooter and ChatGPT have confirmed what we were previously advised — the shooter sought and received assistance from ChatGPT concerning how to conduct the mass shooting,” Hobbs said. “ChatGPT even advised the shooter how to make the gun operational moments before he began firing.”
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier announced a formal investigation into OpenAI on April 9, 2026, with subpoenas expected soon. Uthmeier said OpenAI’s activities have “hurt kids, endangered Americans and facilitated the recent FSU mass shooting.” He called on the Florida Legislature to act quickly on new protections addressing AI risks.
Political Pressure Builds
The investigation has also drawn federal attention. Florida Congressman Jimmy Patronis is pushing a bill called the PROTECT Act that would repeal Section 230 immunity — the federal statute that shields tech companies from liability for user-generated content. Patronis argues social media and AI companies have become addictive and dangerous, and that existing legal protections no longer apply to platforms that actively generate responses rather than simply host content.
The AG’s investigation will also examine whether OpenAI’s data and AI technologies could be accessed by foreign adversaries. “AI is built on its ability to gather data, and there are concerns about whether OpenAI’s data and AI technologies that could be used against America are falling into the hands of America’s enemies,” Uthmeier stated.
OpenAI Responds
OpenAI said it identified a ChatGPT account believed to be associated with the suspect after learning of the incident in late April 2025 and proactively shared that information with law enforcement. A spokesperson said the company “builds ChatGPT to understand people’s intent and respond in a safe and appropriate way.” OpenAI also noted that more than 900 million people use ChatGPT each week.
One day before the AG’s announcement, OpenAI released what it called a Child Safety Blueprint with policy recommendations for improving safety around AI. The company said it would cooperate with the Florida investigation.
Background on the Suspect
Ikner, born Christian Gunnar Eriksen, is a dual American-Norwegian citizen who changed his name in 2020. He graduated from Lincoln High School in 2022 and attended Tallahassee State College before transferring to FSU. He is the stepson of Leon County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Jessica Ikner, and attorneys for the Morales family have alleged that one of the firearms used in the shooting was the deputy’s former service weapon, which she had purchased from the sheriff’s office.
The criminal trial is expected in the fall of 2026. State Attorney Jack Campbell confirmed that ChatGPT-related evidence is expected to be part of the proceedings but declined to comment further until the courtroom phase begins. Police shot Ikner in his jaw roughly three minutes after the shooting started.