Man accused of setting fire to Tesla vehicles in Las Vegas arrested, police say
A man named Paul Hyon Kim, 36, has been arrested for setting fire to Tesla vehicles in Las Vegas and left the word "resist" at the scene, authorities announced Thursday. Kim is facing multiple charges in both state and federal courts, including arson, possession of an explosive device, and unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm. He was taken into federal custody on the same day of the announcement.
The incident occurred on March 18, where security footage captured Kim, dressed in black and concealed, vandalizing a Tesla service center. He reportedly threw Molotov cocktails and fired multiple rounds into various vehicles. Clark County Sheriff Kevin McMahill stated that they are still investigating the motive behind the attacks and exploring potential connections to similar acts of vandalism targeting Tesla properties nationwide.
Since the onset of President Donald Trump's administration, there has been an increase in violent attacks against Tesla-related property across the United States and internationally. These incidents have particularly surged in liberal cities like Portland and Seattle, where there appears to be significant anti-Trump and anti-Musk sentiment. Recent arrests in places like Colorado and South Carolina highlight a troubling trend of assaults using Molotov cocktails and other means at Tesla dealerships.
The attacks on Tesla properties extend beyond vandalism, raising questions about whether they could be classified as acts of terrorism. Spencer Evans, an FBI special agent in Las Vegas, noted that the Las Vegas incident has some characteristics that could suggest a political agenda behind the violence. However, he refrained from definitively labeling it as terrorism.
As law enforcement continues to investigate these alarming incidents, they aim to establish a clearer understanding of the motivations driving such attacks on Tesla, a company that has become a focal point of broader political and societal tensions.