Law enforcement officials have arrested the suspect who allegedly set multiple Teslas on fire and fired multiple gunshots into Tesla vehicles at a Tesla Collision Center in Las Vegas last week.
In a Thursday press release, the United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada announced that 36-year-old Paul Hyon Kim was arrested by Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department officials on Wednesday and was charged with one count of arson and one count of unlawful possession of an unregistered firearm. The press release noted that Kim was in federal custody and was scheduled for a detention hearing on Friday prior to a preliminary court hearing on April 10.
In Thursday’s press release, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said, “The Department of Justice has been clear: anyone who participates in the wave of domestic terrorism targeting Tesla properties will suffer severe legal consequences. We will continue to find, arrest, and prosecute these attackers until the lesson is learned.”
According to Fox News, police officials said Kim drove a black Hyundai Elantra near the Tesla Collision Center and approached the Tesla facility on foot, dressed in black clothes and gloves. Officials said the suspect also concealed his face during the “targeted attack.”
The United States Attorney’s Office for the District of Nevada said, “During the investigation, it was determined that Molotov cocktails and a .30 caliber AR-style firearm were used to damage and destroy five Tesla vehicles, and graffiti was sprayed to write ‘Resist’ on the front of the building.”
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Fox News reported that police officials also accused the suspect of using a rifle to damage surveillance cameras.
“On March 26, law enforcement officials executed various state search warrants related to this case, including a search warrant at Kim’s residence,” Thursday’s press release stated. “Inside the residence, they found various firearms, including an AR style rifle consistent with the firearm used in the March 18, 2025 incident and with a suppressor on it, a black gun belt with a pouch and a small drop of pink paint residue, a black hoodie, face masks, and a handwritten note with what appeared to be an escape plan.”
During a Thursday press briefing, Spencer Evans Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Special Agent in Charge Spencer Evans confirmed that Kim will face additional federal charges for last week’s Tesla attack.
“There’s nothing courageous or noble about firebombing private property and terrorizing your local community,” Evans said. “The self-righteous mob that’s cheering you on today to commit acts of violence on their behalf will leave you high and dry and forget about you tomorrow. And at the end of the day, you and you alone will be held responsible and face the prospect of a lengthy prison sentence.”
