Meridian police investigating after Tesla dealership vandalized. FBI notified
Someone vandalized vehicles and property at the Tesla dealership in Meridian to the tune of over $100,000, and police are asking for help identifying the suspect.
The Meridian Police Department said in a news release Thursday that it's investigating the incident after the unknown suspect vandalized 16 Tesla Cybertrucks and spray-painted the word 'Nazi' on the exterior of the dealership, located at 2554 W. Franklin Road in Meridian.
Police said they also 'defaced the sides' of several vehicles, and an image of one of the Cybertrucks showed a squiggly line of red spray paint down the side of the vehicle, which costs upwards of $70,000.
The incident occurred sometime in a roughly 12-hour window between 6:30 p.m. Wednesday and 7 a.m. Thursday, according to the release. The estimated damage is roughly $114,000.
This comes just days after officers arrested a 70-year-old man for allegedly hitting another man with his car outside the dealership at a protest against Tesla CEO Elon Musk, the Idaho Statesman previously reported. Counterprotesters led by the far-right Idaho Liberty Dogs showed up to oppose the rally against Musk.
It also follows a national trend of attacks on the billionaire's electric-car company, part of opposition to his leadership role with President Donald Trump's Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, which has laid off federal workers throughout the United States and caused much upset.
In Idaho, both labor and funding cuts have affected agencies throughout the state, including the Department of Health and Welfare, the Boise Veterans Affairs Medical Center and the Sawtooth National Forest.
This incident in Meridian also sparked the notification of the FBI. It's unclear why the FBI would be notified; the Meridian Police Department didn't immediately respond to an email or phone call seeking comment. It could be related to an FBI task force that was created last month to 'crack down on violent Tesla attacks,' CNN reported.
Musk is not an elected government official.
'This is domestic terrorism. Those responsible will be pursued, caught, and brought to justice,' FBI Director Kash Patel said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, which is also owned by Musk.
The Meridian Police Department is urging anyone with information to 'come forward,' according to the release, and asked for anyone with details to contact Ada County Dispatch at 208-377-6790.
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