Kansas City, Missouri – The Kansas City Police Department responded to a disturbing incident late Friday night at the Tesla Center located on State Line Road.
Around 11:16 p.m., officers discovered smoke billowing from a Cybertruck identified in the incident report as ‘Cybertruck One,’ a grey vehicle parked in the dealership’s lot.
An officer on the scene reported noticing an unbroken suspected incendiary device near the burning Cybertruck, raising immediate concerns regarding the nature of the fire.
As the investigation unfolded, the blaze spread to a second Cybertruck, prompting firefighters to rush in to contain the flames.
These two Tesla vehicles were valued at over $212,000 combined, and the fire also caused damage to two charging stations at the site.
Reports indicate that Tesla vehicles have increasingly been targeted by vandals across the nation.
Anger over company founder Elon Musk’s links to the Trump administration’s budget cuts has fueled some of this vandalism, leading to a rise in attacks on Tesla properties.
Central to this latest incident is one individual, McIntire, who was reportedly captured on a nearby resident’s surveillance camera leaving his vehicle and approaching the Tesla center.
According to the FBI affidavit, McIntire was dressed in dark, flowy clothing, a large white hat, and was seen carrying a bag.
The license plate of the vehicle he used matched McIntire’s identity, and he was further identified through Tesla’s surveillance footage as being directly involved in the arson.
During this time, McIntire was on spring break and is now in custody following a brief court appearance on Friday in Boston.
His court-appointed public defender stated that McIntire is seeking a hearing in Massachusetts, instead of Missouri, to evaluate whether there is probable cause for the charges against him.
McIntire is scheduled to return to court on Thursday for a detention hearing.
Attorney General Pamela Bondi issued a strong warning to those contemplating similar acts of violence.
“Let me be extremely clear to anyone who still wants to firebomb a Tesla property: you will not evade us,” she said.
Bondi condemned the attacks on Tesla properties, labeling them as acts of ‘domestic terrorism.’
She assured that perpetrators would face arrest, prosecution, and years behind bars.
Her remarks were echoed by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who emphasized that ‘crimes have consequences.’
“The people behind these violent and dangerous attacks on private property will face decades in prison — we will not make deals and we will not negotiate,” Blanche stated.
The recent arrest of McIntire marked the second suspected Tesla vandal apprehended within the same week, as highlighted by FBI Director Kash Patel.
He added, “These actions are dangerous, they are illegal, and we are going to arrest those responsible.”
Patel commended FBI teams in both Kansas City and Boston for their efforts in the ongoing investigation.
In a statement, ATF Acting Director Dan Driscoll referred to the evidence collected during the investigation, including Molotov cocktails related to the arson.
“This wasn’t vandalism — it was a violent criminal act,” Driscoll said, underscoring the severity of the incident.
He reaffirmed the ATF’s commitment to public safety and the agency’s intolerance of political violence in local communities.
While McIntire’s college affiliation was not disclosed in initial reports, a spokesperson from UMass Boston has confirmed his enrollment there.
According to Karen Ferrer-Muñiz, UMass Boston’s vice chancellor for student affairs, the Campus Police collaborated with federal agents in executing a warrant related to McIntire’s arrest.
She noted, “The student was arrested without incident and is now in federal custody.”
The university has chosen not to comment further on the ongoing federal investigation, stating it has a standard protocol for such situations.
This article will be updated with further developments as more information becomes available.
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