Early Tuesday, someone set fire to several Tesla vehicles at a service center in Las Vegas. Police say it was a planned attack. It happened around 2:45 a.m. at the Tesla Collision Center on West Badura Avenue.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department (LVMPD) and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force are now investigating. They worry this could be part of a bigger pattern of attacks on Tesla.
How It Happened
LVMPD got calls about a person starting fires in the parking lot near Jones Boulevard and the 215 Beltway. One caller heard gunshots. Another saw a figure in black setting cars on fire. Video from the police shows two Teslas burning hard. Five cars got damaged total. One exploded, probably from its battery catching fire.
NEW VIDEO: LVMPD Investigating Arson & Vandalism at Tesla Facility
— LVMPD (@LVMPD) March 18, 2025
At approximately 2:45 AM, LVMPD received multiple 911 calls reporting vehicles on fire at a Tesla collision and sales center near the 6200 block of Badura. Witnesses reported seeing a suspect in black clothing… pic.twitter.com/GDIuMhsfjg
Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren spoke later that morning.
“This was a targeted attack against a Tesla facility,”
he said.
“The person used Molotov cocktails and shot three times into the cars. We found ‘RESIST’ painted in red on the front doors.”
They also found a Molotov cocktail that didn’t go off inside one car. It’s being checked for clues.
The Clark County Fire Department put out the fire by 2:54 a.m. They stopped it from hitting the building or causing a worse battery explosion. No one got hurt. The suspect is still out there, and police are hunting for them.
Part of Something Bigger?
This isn’t the first attack on Tesla lately. In the past few weeks, Tesla spots in Oregon, Washington, Kansas, and Massachusetts got hit too. Fires, gunshots, and graffiti have been reported.
Last week, someone shot up a Tesla dealership in Tigard, Oregon, with over a dozen bullets. In Dedham, Massachusetts, three Teslas had their tires cut and paint sprayed on them. On March 10, a Cybertruck burned in Seattle, and the ATF started looking into it.
Police don’t know yet if these are all connected. But the timing makes people think it might be a campaign against Tesla. Elon Musk, Tesla’s CEO, posted on X about it.
“This level of violence is insane and deeply wrong,”
he wrote.
“Tesla just makes electric cars and has done nothing to deserve these evil attacks.”
He called the Las Vegas fire “terrorism” in another post.
The FBI is taking it seriously. Spencer Evans, head of their Las Vegas office, said,
“This is a federal crime. Violent acts like this are unacceptable, and we will find you and prosecute you fully.”
The Joint Terrorism Task Force is helping LVMPD figure out if this counts as domestic terrorism – something dangerous meant to scare people or push the government.
What’s Behind It?
The word “RESIST” painted at the scene has people guessing why this happened. Some think it’s tied to Musk working with President Donald Trump. Musk now helps run the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) with Vivek Ramaswamy. That’s made him a target for some who don’t like Trump. Last week, Trump praised Tesla at the White House with Musk there. He warned vandals,
“You do it to Tesla or any company, we’re going to catch you, and you’re going to go through hell.”
Tesla’s had a rough time lately. Its stock dropped almost 48% this year because sales are down and people are mad about Musk’s politics. Protests popped up at Tesla dealers in San Francisco and Illinois over Musk’s role in Washington. But Koren said it’s too early to say if that’s the reason. Police haven’t pinned down a motive or tied this to anti-Musk feelings yet.
What Police Are Doing
LVMPD started a nonstop investigation with their Major Case Protocol. They’ve added more patrols around Tesla places in the area just in case. Koren said there’s no danger to the public right now. They’re asking people to call 702-828-7777 with tips or 702-385-5555 for Crime Stoppers if they want to stay nameless.
This comes after another Tesla incident in Las Vegas. On January 1, a Cybertruck blew up outside the Trump International Hotel. The driver, Matthew Livelsberger, shot himself before setting off explosives. It hurt seven people nearby. Police called that a lone act, but it’s put more eyes on Tesla with all the political tension.
What’s Next
Police are digging through clues and checking that unlit Molotov cocktail. People are wondering if this is just one random act or part of a bigger push against Tesla and Musk. Las Vegas is tense, and Tesla’s caught in a mix of tech and politics.
“We’re working hard to get answers and make sure justice happens,”
Koren said at the end of his talk.
Tesla’s known for breaking new ground, but now it’s facing tough times on and off the road.
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