Thursday, 20 Mar 2025

Tesla attack in Las Vegas 'certainly has some of the hallmarks' of terrorism, FBI official says

Federal and local authorities are investigating an incident in which five Tesla vehicles were damaged, including two that were set on fire, in front of a service center in Las Vegas.


Tesla attack in Las Vegas 'certainly has some of the hallmarks' of terrorism, FBI official says
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FBI Las Vegas Special Agent in Charge Spencer Evans told reporters on Tuesday that the incident "certainly has some of the hallmarks" of a terrorist attack, but that it was still too early to say for sure. The FBI's Joint Terrorism Task Force is currently investigating the incident.

"Violent acts like this are unacceptable regardless of where they occur. And specifically, to those who might think that something like this is justifiable or potentially even admirable, we want to let you know that it's a federal crime. We will come after you, we will find you and prosecute you to the fullest extent of the law," Evans warned during a news conference on Tuesday.

Musk later retweeted other posts and called the incident "terorrism," though the FBI has yet to officially label it as such.

Las Vegas Metropolitan PD (LVMPD) Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren said law enforcement believes "the suspect approached the business wearing all black clothing and he used what appear to be Molotov cocktails and a firearm to conduct his attack."

Koren said police found an "unignited Molotov cocktail" at the scene, as well as evidence that the suspect fired "at least three rounds into different" Teslas. He also said that at this time police believe the incident was isolated and there is no further threat to public safety.

At approximately 2:45 a.m. PDT, Las Vegas police received several calls about fires at a Tesla service station. When law enforcement arrived at the scene, multiple vehicles had been damaged including two that were "engulfed in flames," according to Koren. Assistant Fire Chief Jennifer Wyatt said the fires were contained to two of the vehicles and were extinguished before they reached the battery compartment of the vehicles.

While one suspect was caught on camera, Koren said that law enforcement isn't ruling out the possibility that there are multiple people involved. As of now, LVMPD is still working to determine who owns the damaged vehicles.

When asked whether police are concerned about the Tesla Cybertruck fleet they are expecting, Koren said that they will not allow "criminals or any potential bad actors dictate" operations. He insisted that the Cybertruck fleet will "make crime fighting more effective."

A Tesla dealership in San Diego was also hit by vandals, who spraypainted antisemitic symbols and profanity on the building and at least one vehicle, according to CBS 8. Swing Left Take Action San Diego helped organize a rally outside the dealership a few days prior to the incident. The San Diego Sheriff's Department told CBS 8 that it had surveillance video of the incident.

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price contributed to this report.

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