Law enforcement officials are searching for a suspect after a Tesla dealership was damaged by gunshots in Salem, Oregon, on Wednesday morning. The incident comes as Democrats have led major protests against Tesla CEO Elon Musk due to his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency under President Donald Trump’s administration.
According to KGW8, police officials responded to the incident at the Tesla dealership on Mission Street Northwest in Salem at roughly 5 a.m. on Wednesday. Angela Hedrick, a Salem Police Department spokesperson, confirmed to the Salem Statesman Journal that police officers discovered that the Tesla dealership’s windows appeared to have been damaged by gunshots.
Hedrick told the Salem Statesman Journal that no arrests have been made in connection with Wednesday’s incident and that the incident is currently under investigation. Hedrick also told the outlet that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is also assisting with the investigation.
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According to the Salem Statesman Journal, the gunshots caused significant damage to the front doors of the dealership. Law enforcement officials, who remained at the scene of the crime until roughly 12:30 p.m., also found that three other windows had sustained damage in the incident.
KGW8 reported that the damage discovered at the Salem Tesla dealership was the second incident at the dealership in the last month. According to the outlet, law enforcement officials and firefighters responded to a vehicle fire and vandalism to a window panel at the dealership on January 20. The first incident remains under investigation by the Salem Police Felony Crimes Unit and the FBI.
Journalist Nick Sortor shared pictures on X, formerly Twitter, of the damage caused by the two recent incidents at the Tesla dealership in Salem. Sortor also shared a video of a “Kill Elon” sticker that protesters recently put on the window of a Tesla showroom in New York.
Sortor said, “THIS is the result of Democrats and legacy media calling Elon Musk ‘HitIer.’ SOMEONE IS GOING TO BE KlLLED.”
“THIS NEEDS TO STOP,” Sortor added. “Authorities need to make a VERY clear example out of these criminals.”
Addressing the recent incidents at the Tesla dealership in Salem, Sharon Monsivais, a Tesla car owner, told KATU, “It is very unfortunate that we live in these times that these things are happening. I recognized that Elon Musk is a very controversial figure, and I bought this car knowing that he was a controversial figure. I don’t agree with everything that he does and don’t like him quite frankly, but I wanted a environmentally friendly car. I think it’s sending the wrong message to shoot up a dealership that has nothing to do with presumably whatever their feelings are.”
