Viral video shows man keying Tesla in Dallas as attacks on company, Elon Musk grow nationwide
Tesla vehicles and dealerships across the country are being vandalized as protests against the company's CEO, Elon Musk, intensify.
The FBI is now investigating attacks, including Tesla vehicles being shot at and set on fire early Tuesday morning at a repair facility in Las Vegas. In Kansas City, a fire at a Tesla dealership yesterday damaged several Cybertrucks.
Meanwhile, individual owners are also being targeted, including Jeff Nguyen, a Dallas resident who found his car vandalized last week at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport.
"I just bought it because it was an electric car," Nguyen said. "This one is pretty fun to drive. It has really just nothing to do with politics or anything like that."
Nguyen said he parked his car around 11 a.m. on Thursday, March 13, on the top floor of Terminal A. When he returned, he noticed a deep scratch along the side. His car's built-in cameras recorded a man keying it around 4:15 p.m. the day he left.
He filed a police report and shared the video on social media. It has since gone viral.
"It's crazy," Nguyen said. "Someone sent me a post that Donald Trump Jr. has retweeted it. It's crazy that something like this has turned into a political thing."
The incidents come as Tesla's stock has taken a hit in recent months, with Musk facing growing backlash. President Donald Trump has weighed in, vowing to label violence against the company as domestic terrorism.
Protests against Elon Musk and the DOGE cuts
Demonstrations against Musk have intensified in recent weeks due to his prominent role in the Department of Government Efficiency, known as DOGE, where he has overseen significant federal workforce reductions and the cancellation of humanitarian program contracts.
Critics argue that Musk's involvement in these policies has led to economic instability and deteriorating social support systems, prompting widespread demonstrations. Additionally, Musk's alignment with Mr. Trump and his support for controversial political figures have further fueled public dissent.
These factors have culminated in the "Tesla Takedown" movement, where activists are urging consumers to divest from Tesla products and are organizing protests at Tesla dealerships nationwide.
Nguyen hopes the man who keyed his car is identified soon and held accountable.
CBS News Texas has reached out to Tesla stores and galleries in North Texas to see if they are increasing security but has not yet received a response.
