Authorities investigate damaging fire at New Mexico's GOP headquarters

Federal authorities are investigating a fire that damaged the entrance of the Republican Party of New Mexico's headquarters in Albuquerque early Sunday. The Bureau of Alcohol Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) reported the recovery of "incendiary materials" at the scene, although further details about those materials have not been disclosed.

This incident follows a series of vandalism acts targeting Tesla, linked to the company's owner, Elon Musk, who has been involved in political efforts against the federal workforce under Republican President Donald Trump. Some acts involved Molotov cocktails set ablaze at Tesla dealerships. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has referred to this pattern of destruction as a "wave of domestic terrorism."

Firefighters responded promptly to the fire, which broke out around 6 a.m. and was extinguished within five minutes. Fortunately, the building was unoccupied at the time, and no injuries were reported; however, the fire caused significant damage to the entrance and produced extensive smoke damage inside the office.

New Mexico Republican Party Chair Amy Barela emphasized the importance of the security system that detected the fire, praising the firefighters for their quick action that prevented further spread. Meanwhile, spray paint with the message "ICE=KKK" was discovered on the side of the building, raising concerns over politically motivated vandalism.

Albuquerque Mayor Tim Keller condemned the act of arson as cowardly and unacceptable, reiterating the city's commitment to investigating politically driven crimes. He thanked the firefighters for their rapid response while urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward. Additionally, FBI agents were present at the scene to assist with the investigation, though they were not immediately available for comments.