A trans-identifying man was arrested earlier this week for allegedly hurling Molotov cocktails at a Colorado Tesla dealership and spray-painting “Nazi cars” on the property in what appears to be the latest attack against Elon Musk’s company.
Lucy Grace Nelson, formerly Justin Thomas Nelson, was arrested on Monday by officers from the Loveland Police Department in Colorado, according to the New York Post.
According to a press release from the Loveland Police Department, “This arrest comes after the Loveland Tesla dealership was vandalized several times, with incendiary devices discovered on the scene. On Monday evening, Nelson returned to Loveland Tesla while in possession of additional incendiary devices, along with materials attributed to vandalism.”
Police said the 40-year-old trans-identifying man is suspected to have been vandalizing the Tesla dealership since late January.
Several news outlets have neglected to mention the suspect’s status as a transgender individual in reporting Nelson’s arrest despite it being a potential motive for the vandalism. However, at the time of writing, police have yet to find any connection between Nelson’s gender identity and the alleged offenses.
A woman in Colorado has been arrested after police caught her with explosives at a Tesla dealership, authorities said.
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While officials are still investigating the suspect’s motive, Chris Padgett, the police department’s information officer, told the Post that protesting Tesla owner Elon Musk is “a reasonable suspicion” for Nelson’s alleged offenses.
At least four Tesla vehicles valued at approximately $220,000 were attacked with Molotov cocktails fashioned from empty liquor bottles. When officers apprehended Nelson, they discovered cans of spray paint, gasoline, empty bottles, and pieces of cloth soaked with a potential accelerant in the suspect’s car.
Cars at the dealership and the dealership itself were covered in graffiti that authorities described as “very offensive” and “derogatory in nature,” with spray painted allegations of Telsas as “Nazi cars” being some of the more mild graffiti.
Nelson was booked into jail on several felony charges, with a $100,000 cash bond, which the suspect posted before being released on Tuesday.
As Elon Musk has become more involved in the Trump administration, dozens of Tesla showrooms across the country are facing protests, and some Tesla owners are reporting vandalism to their vehicles.
These attacks follow the #TeslaTakedown campaign, which urges followers to dump their Tesla vehicles and shares to hurt Musk and is behind many of the dealership protests.