Image by ChatGPT. Irony by Colorado Ceasefire.
An absolutely harrowing story in Mother Jones last week—this one is really scary. It details the case of Phoenix Ikner, who killed two people and injured six in an April 2025 shooting at Florida State University.
In the hours before the shooting, Ikner asked ChatGPT questions about guns, prior mass shootings, and what times the FSU Student Union was likely to be most crowded. ChatGPT gave detailed responses to each question and encouraged Ikner to ask more. When he uploaded images of shotgun shells and a Glock pistol, according to Mother Jones, ChatGPT confirmed the shells were “extremely lethal at close range” and said his Glock would be “quick to use under stress.”
A deeper dive into Ikner’s history shows that over the prior 12 months, he messaged with ChatGPT more than 6,600 times—in messages revealing he was lonely and aggrieved, focused on extremist violence, and suicidal. ChatGPT responded to his despair with empathetic language and suggested he call crisis hotlines and seek other support, but the feedback didn’t deter him. The investigation also revealed erratic behavior by ChatGPT, underscoring doubts about the technology’s supposed safeguards.
The Mother Jones reporter created a shocking video of ChatGPT offering him advice on how to pull off a hypothetical mass shooting.
The magazine says that since 2025, people in Canada, Finland, and multiple locations in the U.S. allegedly have used ChatGPT and other artificial intelligence platforms to prepare for violence. In fact, OpenAI, another chat AI company, faces a criminal investigation in Florida and lawsuits in several states.
Ikner has been charged with murder and attempted murder in Florida and has pleaded not guilty.
Colorado Ceasefire is currently working with local and national gun violence prevention leaders to identify methods to reduce the role AIs can play in violent events.