US attorney general announces federal charges against Tesla attacker

WASHINGTON

US Attorney General Pam Bondi announced federal charges Monday against a Colorado man who is accused of firebombing a Tesla dealership.

"We charged Cooper Fredrick in the fire-bombing of a Tesla dealership that occurred on March 7 in Loveland, Colorado. All of these cases are a serious threat to public safety. Therefore, there will be no negotiating.

"We are seeking 20 years in prison," Bondi said in a video message shared on X.

Tesla facilities and vehicles have been targeted, driven by a backlash against Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s role in leading the Trump administration’s efforts to impose sweeping cuts across the federal government.

Bondi warned protestors, saying that "justice is coming."

"I've made it clear: if you take part in the wave of domestic terrorism against Tesla properties, we will find you, arrest you, and put you behind bars," she added.

Musk’s unpopularity has led Tesla’s global sales to plummet. President Donald Trump controversially used the White House as a backdrop to act as a salesman for Tesla, blurring the government and commerce in a way some analysts called illegal.

Some US senators pushed for an investigation into Trump’s recent news conference with Musk that promoted Tesla in the driveway of the White House and slammed the "apparent violation" of federal ethics laws.