Law enforcement officials are investigating the discovery of multiple incendiary devices found at a Tesla dealership on the north side of Austin this week.
The incident is yet another chapter in a troubling pattern of recent attacks targeting Tesla dealerships and drivers in response to CEO Elon Musk’s politics.
According to the Associated Press, the Austin Police Department (APD) first responded to a report of “hazardous materials” at the Northside Tesla dealership. The police later confirmed that incendiary devices had been found in the area. In response, the APD’s bomb squad was deployed to safely remove the devices.
Fortunately, there were no reports of injuries or property damage this time.
“This is an open and ongoing investigation, and there is no further information available for release at this time,” APD said.
The Austin incident is part of a growing wave of violence and vandalism targeting Tesla locations and drivers across the country and abroad. Over the past few months, several Tesla dealerships, showrooms, and charging stations have been attacked, often linked to left-wing protests or opposition to Musk’s political involvement in the Trump administration.
As previously covered by DX, three people were arrested in connection with separate Molotov cocktail attacks on Tesla locations.
One person was detained in Salem, Oregon, after throwing the fiery cocktails at a dealership while armed with a suppressed AR-15 rifle. Another was apprehended in Loveland, Colorado, for attempting to set multiple Teslas on fire. Additionally, in Charleston, South Carolina, a third suspect wrote offensive messages about Trump at a charging station before setting it ablaze. These people now face charges that carry a minimum five-year prison sentence.
FBI Director Kash Patel announced the creation of a specific specialized task force to help focus and coordinate investigative efforts in these attacks. The task force will work alongside the ATF to find and arrest people responsible for acts against Tesla owners or dealerships.
“The FBI has been investigating the increase in violent activity toward Tesla, and over the last few days, we have taken additional steps to crack down and coordinate our response. This is domestic terrorism. Those responsible will be pursued, caught, and brought to justice,” Patel posted to X.