San Jose man arrested after viral video shows him keying Tesla
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SAN JOSE, Calif. - A man suspected of keying a Tesla in a San Jose Costco parking lot —an act of vandalism captured on video for all to see— has been arrested, police said.
Tesla captured the incident
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.
In the video, obtained by X user Breaking911, a dark-colored Hyundai SUV is seen pulling into a parking spot next to the white Tesla. A white-bearded man wearing a "USA" leather jacket with an American eagle on the back is then seen gliding a key along the Tesla’s side, scratching the vehicle.
Suspect confronted
Dig deeper:
A second video shows a confrontation between the alleged perpetrator and an unidentified person who accuses him of vandalizing the Tesla. The encounter appears to have happened days after the video circulated online.
"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.
"I didn’t do that," the alleged suspect replies before getting into his Hyundai SUV while wearing the same USA jacket seen in the viral footage.
Felony vandalism charges
What we know:
San Jose police confirmed on the social media platform X that officers identified and arrested the suspect on suspicion of felony vandalism.
"This senseless crime and its subsequent consequences should serve as a clear reminder: no matter one's personal beliefs or frustrations, they do not justify illegal actions. I urge everyone to respect one another and, above all, to respect the law," Police Chief Paul Joseph said in a statement.
The suspect's name has not been released.
Vandalism targets
Big picture view:
Tesla CEO Elon Musk apparently caught wind of the incident and responded to the police department’s X post with an American flag emoji.
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."
He urged people to "voice our opinions where they matter—at the ballot box, not in a parking lot."
It is unclear what motivated the suspect or whether he had a vendetta against Tesla or Musk.
Tesla and its CEO have drawn criticism across the country since Musk became a key figure in the Trump administration.
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.
On Tuesday, five Tesla vehicles were set on fire and shot at in an arson attack at a Tesla service center in Las Vegas.
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.
The Source: The San Jose Police Department, social media account of Mayor Matt Mahan and Breaking911.