Authorities have arrested a 36-year-old man in connection with a recent arson attack on a Tesla service center in Las Vegas. Paul Hyon Kim was taken into custody on Wednesday and booked into the Clark County jail on multiple charges, including suspicion of arson and destruction of property valued at $5,000 or more.
The incident occurred on March 18 at a Tesla collision center located in the 6000 block of West Badura Avenue. Surveillance footage showed a person dressed in black using Molotov cocktails to set multiple Tesla vehicles ablaze. Additionally, the suspect fired gunshots at other vehicles and spray-painted the word “RESIST” on the building’s doors.
Assistant Sheriff Dori Koren described the attack as a “deliberate assault” on the Tesla facility, noting that it bore hallmarks of terrorism. The FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force led the investigation, which authorities currently consider an isolated incident.
Kim faces a total of 15 counts, including possession and disposal of incendiary devices and discharging a firearm into a vehicle. The attack is part of a broader trend of incidents targeting Tesla facilities and vehicles across the U.S., which some attribute to backlash against Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s recent actions.
Kim is scheduled to appear in court for his first hearing on Thursday. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department increased security at local Tesla facilities following the incident.
The White House and Attorney General Pam Bondi have condemned the attacks as “despicable” and akin to domestic terrorism.
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