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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
World
Namita Singh

Man asks AI chatbot for help with ear infection — then allegedly threatens to massacre children at daycare

Claude Chatbots Artificial Intelligence Gun Violence Interpol Anthropic
  • David Lan Thackray, 29, was arrested in Sydney after telling AI chatbot Claude that he intended to carry out a mass shooting at a local daycare center.
  • Interpol alerted Australian authorities after the conversation was flagged, leading to Thackray being charged with using a carriage service to menace, harass, or offend.
  • Prosecutors argued in court that Thackray posed a severe threat of mass violence, while his defense lawyer claimed the comments were an empty, stress-induced tirade.
  • Thackray has been remanded in custody to undergo a mental health evaluation before the legal proceedings continue.
  • The arrest underscores safety protocols by Anthropic , the developer of Claude, which actively monitors, flags, and reports violent threats to law enforcement.

IN FULL

Man arrested after telling AI chatbot about ‘plans for mass shooting’

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