A 29-year-old man from Sydney was taken into custody after allegedly revealing plans to commit a mass shooting at a local childcare centre during an interaction with an artificial intelligence chatbot. David Lan Thackray reportedly informed the chatbot, named Claude, of his intention to carry out the attack at a childcare facility near his residence in Hurstville.
Thackray is currently undergoing a mental health assessment following his arrest on Sunday. Authorities were alerted after the conversation between Thackray and the AI chatbot was flagged to Interpol. His account on the chatbot platform was subsequently suspended. During the exchange, he allegedly stated he would “go down to the local Westfield right now and shoot up the local daycare,” prompting law enforcement intervention.
At a court hearing on Monday in Sutherland Local Court, Thackray was charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass, or offend. Prosecutors argued for him to remain in custody, citing concerns that his stated intentions posed a serious threat to public safety. They referenced a recent terrorist attack in Sydney’s Bondi Beach neighbourhood, where two gunmen reportedly opened fire on a crowd celebrating Hanukkah, resulting in at least 15 fatalities. One gunman, 50-year-old Sajid Akram, was killed by police at the scene, while his 24-year-old son, Naveed Akram, was arrested and is awaiting trial in connection with the incident.
The comparison to the Bondi attack underscored the gravity of the alleged threat conveyed by Thackray during his interaction with the AI chatbot. No further details have been released about any ongoing investigation or additional threats. Authorities continue to monitor the situation as the court process unfolds.