San Jose man arrested after viral video shows him keying Tesla

What we know:

The Tesla’s Sentry Mode was activated and recorded the incident in the parking lot of a Costco at 2200 Senter Road, according to the San Jose Police Department. Local reports said the incident happened on Friday.

Dig deeper:

“You keyed a Tesla in a parking lot around here. What do you have to say about that?” the man recording the video is heard saying.

Felony vandalism charges

San Jose police confirmed on the social media platform X that officers identified and arrested the suspect on suspicion of felony vandalism.

The suspect’s name has not been released.

Big picture view:

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan also weighed in, saying, “Keying a car because you don’t like the person who designed it is like breaking a clock because you don’t like the time it shows. If this crime was politically motivated, our residents can’t be held accountable for something Elon Musk is doing 3,000 miles away.”

It is unclear what motivated the suspect or whether he had a vendetta against Tesla or Musk.

The company has been targeted in protests and acts of vandalism in the U.S., particularly as Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, has moved to reduce the size of the federal government.

According to the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, Molotov cocktails and a firearm were used in the attack. “RESIST” was spray-painted on the front of the business, and officials believe Teslas were specifically targeted.