An Oregon man, Adam Matthew Lansky, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails at a Tesla service center in Salem. Lansky, 41, was charged with illegally possessing an unregistered destructive device after launching two separate attacks at the dealership this year. The incidents were reported by the United States Attorney’s Office, District of Oregon.
The motive behind the attacks was not immediately clear, but they occurred amidst other suspected arson incidents targeting Tesla facilities in Boston, Colorado, and Germany. In contrast, peaceful protests against Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, have been taking place across the U.S. as part of the “Tesla Takedown” movement. The movement aims to lower the company’s stock prices in response to Musk’s involvement with President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency.
The criminal complaint against Lansky revealed that he allegedly targeted the Tesla service center with makeshift incendiary devices made from glass wine bottles filled with an ignitable liquid. Surveillance footage showed Lansky wielding an AR-15 style rifle and launching the devices at Tesla vehicles. The attacks resulted in significant damage to the dealership, with seven vehicles affected and one destroyed.
Authorities linked Lansky to the attacks through fingerprint evidence and firearm registration records. Despite the charges against him, Lansky’s attorney did not provide a comment on the matter. The investigation into the incidents continues as law enforcement seeks to determine the full extent of Lansky’s involvement in the attacks.
