FBI Investigates Vandalism of Tesla Charging Station in Washington State

The incident comes amid a growing wave of vandalism and targeted attacks against the electric vehicle brand.

A Tesla electric vehicle is charging at a Tesla Supercharger battery charging station in Barakaldo, Spain, on March 29, 2025. Vincent West/Reuters File Photo

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating an incident that severely damaged a Tesla Supercharger station in Washington state, the latest in a growing wave of vandalism and targeted attacks against the electric vehicle brand.

The affected station, located in Lacey, a suburb of Olympia, was temporarily shut down in the early morning of April 8 following what local police described as “malicious mischief.” According to the Lacey Police Department, officers responded to the scene after receiving “multiple calls reporting a loud noise.”

A photo shared by the department on Facebook shows a heavily damaged power equipment cabinet, with panels torn off and debris littering the surrounding area.

Tesla’s Charging account on X said that it was working with a local electric utility to restore the site’s 12 Superchargers. The company also confirmed that the FBI is involved in the investigation.

“We’re on-site with Lacey Police and FBI and reviewing camera footage,” Tesla said. “Don’t mess with critical infrastructure.”

The incident comes amid a broader pattern of vandalism against Tesla properties—including vehicles, showrooms, and charging stations—that has intensified in recent months.

Many of the activities have been tied to protests against Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s role in the Trump administration, particularly his leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency, which has conducted audits of government agencies, driving sweeping cuts to the federal budget and workforce.

According to recent industry reports, the turbulence has coincided with declining consumer interest in new Tesla models and record-high rates of Tesla trade-ins.

At Tesla’s publicly broadcast company meeting on March 21, Musk noted the protests and boycott calls and remained optimistic, predicting a rebound in sales. He projected that the company’s global fleet would surpass 10 million vehicles in 2026, up from 7 million this year.

“If you read the news, it feels like Armageddon. I can’t walk past a TV without seeing a Tesla on fire,” Musk told employees and investors, referencing protesters setting Tesla vehicles on fire. “I understand if you don’t want to buy our product, but you don’t have to burn it down. That’s a bit unreasonable.”

A day before Musk’s speech, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi escalated the federal response to attacks targeting Tesla, labeling them acts of “domestic terrorism” while announcing charges against three accused perpetrators.

“The days of committing crimes without consequence have ended,” Bondi said in a statement. “Let this be a warning: if you join this wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, the Department of Justice will put you behind bars.”

Days following Bondi’s statement, the FBI said it had launched a specialized task force—in coordination with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF)—to investigate attacks targeting Tesla assets nationwide. The formation of the task force came just hours after a bomb squad in Austin, Texas, where Tesla is headquartered, discovered multiple incendiary devices at a company showroom.

“The FBI has been investigating the increase in violent activity toward Tesla, and over the last few days, we have taken additional steps to crack down and coordinate our response,” FBI Director Kash Patel said on X in response to a news report about the Tesla crime task force.

“This is domestic terrorism,” Patel wrote. “Those responsible will be pursued, caught, and brought to justice.”