A 19-year-old University of Massachusetts Boston student has been charged in connection with a firebombing incident at a Tesla dealership in Kansas City, Missouri, that caused more than $200,000 in damages.
Authorities allege that the student traveled to Missouri and used a Molotov cocktail to ignite a Tesla Cybertruck parked on the dealership lot on March 17. The fire quickly spread, damaging a second Cybertruck and two nearby charging stations.
The suspect was taken into custody in Massachusetts and now faces federal charges, including unlawful possession of an unregistered destructive device and malicious damage to property involved in interstate commerce. He made his initial court appearance in federal court and is awaiting further proceedings.
Investigators have not publicly confirmed a motive but noted that the attack is part of a concerning trend targeting Tesla properties. Officials say they are taking the matter seriously, warning that such acts of violence will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.