A Las Vegas suspect has been arrested and charged with using Molotov cocktails to set multiple Tesla vehicles on fire in a shocking attack caught on surveillance cameras.
The suspect, 36-year-old Paul Hyon Kim, was taken into custody and is currently being held at the Clark County Detention Center. He faces a slew of felony charges, including arson and destruction of private property, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal.
This isn’t just a random act of vandalism—it’s the latest in a disturbing wave of targeted attacks on Tesla facilities across the United States.
What started as peaceful protests and boycott campaigns against Tesla has now escalated into full-blown violence, with perpetrators using firebombs, firearms, and even spray-painted swastikas to send a message.
Their apparent motive? Opposition to Elon Musk’s growing influence in the Trump administration and his role in trimming the bloated, out-of-control federal bureaucracy.
Earlier this month, the Las Vegas Tesla facility was the site of what law enforcement officials have described as a “coordinated, targeted attack.” Surveillance footage reportedly shows a masked individual dressed in black hurling Molotov cocktails into parked Tesla vehicles and then opening fire on them with a firearm. The word “RESIST” was spray-painted across the front doors of the building.
Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren confirmed during a press briefing that at least five vehicles were torched, two of them completely consumed by fire. “This was not an accident. This was a deliberate attempt to destroy property and send a message,” Koren stated.
Federal authorities, including the FBI, have stepped in and are now treating the case as a potential act of domestic terrorism. FBI officials are also investigating similar attacks at nearly 20 Tesla locations nationwide, including dealerships, charging stations, and service centers that have been firebombed or defaced with extremist imagery.
Musk himself labeled the Las Vegas assault as “terrorism,” echoing sentiments shared by President Donald Trump, who has vowed to label violent attacks on private American enterprises as acts of domestic terror. Attorney General Pam Bondi recently brought federal charges against three individuals accused of “coordinated and violent destruction of Tesla properties” in separate incidents.
“This is lawlessness masquerading as protest,” Bondi said. “Burning cars and throwing firebombs doesn’t make you a freedom fighter. It makes you a felon.”
In response to the growing crisis, the FBI has announced the formation of a specialized task force focused on protecting American companies—like Tesla—that are increasingly being targeted for political and ideological reasons. The task force will coordinate with local law enforcement to monitor, prevent, and respond to anti-corporate terrorism.
What began as online discontent over Tesla and Elon Musk’s political alignment has now evolved into a serious national security issue. Authorities say more arrests may follow as investigations unfold.