A man who appeared to be protesting against Elon Musk’s political activity accidentally lit himself on fire while trying to vandalize electronic vehicle charging stations, according to South Carolina police.
The incident unfolded on Friday at the Tesla charging stations near a Mellow Mushroom pizzeria in northern Charleston. The man wrote “Free Ukraine” as well as another message against President Donald Trump with an expletive included, according to a report from the North Charleston Police Department.
Investigators were able to collect beer bottles from the alleged attack and are trying to collect fingerprints from the glass.
Police said that the man had ignited some material that was stuffed into beer bottles and threw them at the stations.
Witnesses told police that he lit himself on fire by accident and then fled from the scene.
Firefighters were able to cut power to the chargers before putting out the fire. Investigators were able to collect beer bottles from the alleged attack and are trying to collect fingerprints from the glass.
On Tuesday, North Charleston Police spokesperson Harve Jacobs said that no arrests had been made yet and the case had been referred to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
Witnesses described the suspect as a white male with a gray jacket and a black mask. Police estimated that the man caused about $60,000 in damage to the charging stations.
Musk has claimed that there is an organized effort from Democrats and leftists to fund the attacks on Tesla vehicles and dealerships. President Donald Trump has decried the vandalism and said that he would designate such violence as “domestic terrorism.”
Video of the damage to the stations can be viewed on the WCBD-TV news report on YouTube.
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Tesla charging station attack, Protester lights himself on fire, Anti-musk vandalism, Liberal vandalism, Politics
