On Thursday, a Tesla was set on fire in a suspected arson attack in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood, near the former site of the deadly autonomous zone CHAZ.
According to a 911 call received at 8:15 pm, a witness near the intersection of 15th Avenue East and East Harrison reported seeing a male suspect carrying a red gas can pour gasoline on the hood of the parked Tesla before igniting it.
The witness attempted to chase the suspect but eventually lost sight of him.
Seattle police located the gas can at the scene. No injuries were reported but the Tesla sustained thousands of dollars in damage and needed to be towed. According to KOMO News, Seattle Police officers detained an individual in connection with the incident, but after a witness confirmed that the person was not the suspect they observed, the individual was then released.
Seattle police said the incident is being investigated as arson. This is the most recent attack targeting Teslas in the area this week. Earlier this week, someone lit four Cybertrucks on fire at a SODO Tesla dealership, and a vandal drew swastikas and other graffiti on multiple vehicles at a Tesla service center in Lynnwood. Tesla charging stations in Centralia have also been vandalized.
On Wednesday, House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) announced that Congress will investigate "domestic terrorism" attacks against Tesla, following reports of vandalism and destruction at Tesla dealerships and charging stations across the US.
Johnson posted on X Wednesday morning, “Congress will investigate the sources of these attacks and help the DOJ & FBI ensure those responsible are prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” and praised Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s efforts with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) as “heroic.”
Tesla dealerships in Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, California, Colorado, and New York have been targeted by activists opposed to Musk’s efforts with DOGE, as his team has worked to reduce government spending and identify waste. Protesters have been seen holding signs comparing Musk to Hitler and calling him a Nazi.
On Tuesday, President Donald Trump said the attacks on Tesla dealerships would be classified as domestic terrorism. The same day, the president bought a Tesla and showed it off along with other models in front of the White House with Elon Musk.
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