DOD Issues Major Arrests for Tesla Vandals
Amid a string of ongoing attacks on Tesla facilities and vehicles, US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced charges against three suspects allegedly responsible for the destroying Tesla properties.
On Thursday, the Department of Defense (DOD) declared its commitment to ending all acts of demolition toward Tesla properties and vehicles in a press release.
Each listed suspect used Molotov cocktails as they set aflame Tesla cars and charging stations. The Molotov cocktail appears to be a common theme in these cases of vandalism. Bondi issued a warning to those who join the “wave of domestic terrorism” against Tesla:
“The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended. Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.”
The DOD addressed the details of the charged suspects, who could each potentially face a “minimum penalty of five years and up to 20 years in prison.” Notably, each defendant utilized Molotov cocktails while committing separate acts of vandalism against Tesla properties and vehicles.
One suspect carried a “suppressed AR-15 rifle” and threw “approximately eight Molotov cocktails” at a Tesla dealership building in Salem, Oregon. Another suspect in Loveland, Colorado, tried lighting Tesla cars on fire with Molotov cocktails. Upon later discovery, the defendant was “found in possession of materials used to produce additional incendiary weapons.”
The last suspect, located in Charleston, South Carolina, wrote “profane” statements about President Donald Trump around Tesla charging docks. The docks were lit on fire with Molotov cocktails. These cases are among several instances of vandalism against Tesla. The attacks are likely due to the role Tesla Founder Elon Musk has in the Trump Administration as an advisor in the Department of Governmental Efficiency (DOGE).
The Independent reports that “anonymous individuals” created a website called “Dogequest.” This website shows “the locations of Tesla facilities and individuals tied to the Department of Government Efficiency.”
The Dogequest site utilizes a “molotov cocktail” as a screen cursor. Its owners will reportedly remove the personal information of certain Tesla owners once they prove they have sold their vehicles. The DOD did not comment on the Dogequest site in the press release.
