Austin police are investigating after suspicious devices were discovered at a Tesla showroom Monday. It’s the latest in a string of incidents nationwide targeting Tesla vehicles and CEO Elon Musk. NBC 5’s Maria Guerrero reports from Dallas, where some Tesla owners say they’ve also experienced backlash.
The FBI issued a public alert for Americans to remain vigilant amid a growing number of reports of attacks on Tesla automobiles and charging stations. The warning comes as "incendiary" devices were found Monday morning outside a showroom in Austin following another weekend of protests against CEO Elon Musk.
According to KXAN-TV, the NBC affiliate in the state capital, Austin police were called to the showroom when the devices were found just after 8 a.m. The Austin Police Department's bomb squad removed the devices without incident and there were no injuries reported.
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WATCH HEREOver the last two weekends, about 100 protesters gathered outside the Austin showroom to voice their displeasure with Musk and President Donald Trump. Musk is a senior advisor to the president and is working with the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to cut federal spending and streamline government operations.
Though there has been no shortage of backlash against DOGE's approach to its mission, KXAN reported the protests in Austin were nonviolent and did not result in any arrests.
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SIGN UP Just last week, The FBI issued a nationwide warning urging vigilance following acts of vandalism, arson and gunfire directed at Tesla vehicles, dealerships and charging stations in more than nine states, according to the agency. The attacks are against those the perpetrators believe to be racist, fascists, or political opponents, according to the FBI’s public service announcement released March 21.
At Tesla’s busy supercharger station at Fuel City in Dallas, some owners tell NBC 5 they have experienced some backlash over their choice of electric vehicle.
Pearl Botello is a rideshare driver on the side and says some passengers are quick to sound off as soon as they hop in.
“They have been passive-aggressive comments toward the Tesla company the stock and Elon Musk. It’s mostly I’m not a fan of Elon Musk. You know people have strong thoughts on entities. It’s just what it is. People just need to look past that and understand there’s much more to life than politics,” Botello said.
Another owner says he prefers to charge his Tesla at home and not in public given recent incidents reported around the country.
Botello says she is grateful nothing has happened to her car and hopes cooler heads prevail.
“I love this car, it’s the coolest car ever! It’s really fast. It’s kind of like driving a computer,” she said. “Taking it out on others is not the way. If you’re really interested in making a change, go volunteer or work in politics and whatever political affiliation you identify with, but don’t take it out on others.”
Another owner shared two bumper stickers she purchased online in hopes of preventing her Tesla from being vandalized or targeted.
The stickers read: ‘I bought this before Elon went crazy.’ And: ‘bought before the plot twist.'
In North Texas, NBC 5 contacted several police departments to see if they had received any reports of vandalism. While we are still waiting to hear back from the Dallas Police Department, police in Fort Worth and Arlington said they had not received any reports of vandalism from Tesla owners similar to what's been reported in other parts of the country where cars had been keyed or otherwise damaged.
Earlier this month, a Tesla charging station in Boston was set on fire, and last week, The Associated Press reported an Oregon man was arrested after he was accused of throwing Molotov cocktails at a showroom in Salem. A similar attack was reported in Las Vegas.
On Saturday in Florida, a man was arrested and charged with assault for driving his car toward a crowd of people protesting outside a Florida Tesla showroom.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has called the attacks on Tesla property "nothing short of domestic terrorism." The FBI and ATF, the two federal agencies investigating the attacks, told NBC News they found no evidence of any coordination around the attacks but issued their warning to be alert for suspicious activity near and around Tesla showrooms.
