LAS VEGAS—A man has been apprehended by law enforcement, following accusations that he set fire to multiple Tesla vehicles and vandalized the doors of a Tesla service center in Las Vegas, police confirmed on Thursday.
The suspect, identified as 36-year-old Paul Hyon Kim, is facing legal proceedings in both state and federal courts relating to the incident on March 18. Currently held in federal custody, Kim’s charges include arson, possession of an explosive device, and discharging a weapon into a vehicle, according to Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill during a press briefing.
Additionally, federal charges against Kim involve possession of an unregistered firearm and arson, as per a criminal complaint filed on Thursday. Kim made a short appearance in U.S. District Court in Las Vegas, dressed in black attire, where he informed the judge of his 12 years of formal education. A detention hearing is scheduled for Kim on Friday.
The federal public defender’s office in Las Vegas, tasked with Kim’s defense, declined to offer any remarks about the case. At the state level, no attorney has been noted in the court records for Kim.
Security footage revealed during the police conference depicted an individual, entirely clad in black and wearing a mask, inscribing “resist” on the glass doors of the Tesla service center. According to McMahill, the suspect was seen throwing Molotov cocktails—a type of improvised incendiary bomb—and firing shots into several vehicles. Fortunately, no injuries were reported.
Authorities are currently investigating the motive behind the attack and exploring any potential links to other incidents of vandalism targeting Tesla across the nation.
There has been a noticeable increase in attacks on Tesla properties since the appointment of CEO Elon Musk to a significant governmental role by former President Donald Trump, aiming to reduce governmental expenditures.
Some of the most notable incidents have occurred in left-leaning areas such as the Pacific Northwest. For instance, an individual in Oregon was alleged to have used Molotov cocktails at a Tesla store in Salem and later returned to shoot at the windows. Meanwhile, in Tigard, near Portland, a Tesla showroom was subjected to gunfire, causing damage to vehicles and windows.
In Colorado, prosecutors have charged a woman believed to have attacked Tesla dealerships with similar means, including throwing Molotov cocktails and defacing a building with derogatory terms. Federal authorities in South Carolina have also arrested a man suspected of setting fire to Tesla charging stations near Charleston.
Spencer Evans, the special agent leading the FBI division in Las Vegas, refrained from commenting on any connections between these cases. However, he acknowledged last week that the Las Vegas incident could bear similarities indicative of terrorism.
Evans remarked, “Was this terrorism? Was it something else? It certainly has some of the hallmarks that we might think—the writing on the wall, potential political agenda, an act of violence. None of those factors are lost on us.”